BLUE OILS — pt 2

By Jeanne Rose ~ February MMXX

Synopsis ~ the blue oils are nine or more essential oils from several botanical groups that when distilled produce a blue-colored oil. They are all anti-inflammatory and very-helpful to skin health.

Many thanks to Eden Botanicals for supplying these lovely oils to photograph – Jeanne Rose photo

Part 2 includes properties, uses, how to use the oil, chemistry, Blue oil tomato tales, history, references, precautions, blending and formulas for health and well-being.

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Part 1 included naming, botany, taxonomy, and organoleptics.

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WHY DO WE CALL THEM THE ‘BLUE OILS’ ~ We call them ‘blue oils’ because they are blue in color. Yes, essential oils have color. These colors include a pale sky blue such as in Roman Chamomile although it seems to quickly lose that color), the cobalt–colored Blue Sage (Artemisia douglasiana) or the navy-colored oils such as Blue Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and azure-blue Blue Tansy (Tanacetum annuum) and the viscous indigo-colored oil from Blue Artemis (Artemisia arborescens) and sapphire-Blue Cypress (Callitris intratropica). Some of these plants are related and some are not.

The molecule called azulene is a dark blue color. It is composed of two terpenoids; vetivazulene a derivative of Vetivert and guaiazulene (also called azulon) mainly from guaiac and chamomile oil. This molecule is also found in some of the pigments of mushrooms, plants like guaiac wood oil and also in marine invertebrates, such as jellyfish and corals. Azulenes, although usually shades of blue, can also be green, violet, blue/violet, and red/violet. It is a brilliant rainbow of color due to its chemical structure. ¹²

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HISTORICAL USES ~ Historically, the Noble Chamomile called the Roman Chamomile, is often a double flower. It was grown interspersed with lawn plants as a ground cover that provided fragrance when being walked upon. Wet laundry, especially sheets were laid down on this fragrant cover plant, to dry, and while drying, to pick up the sweet apple-scent of the plants. In the past when I could grow large amounts of this plant, I have been able to place my clean washed cashmere sweaters out to dry and they would come back to me with the calming scent of chamomile.

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INTERESTING FACTS ~ “It has been demonstrated that sensory perception has an impact on aging in species that are unconnected by millions of years through evolution. This suggests that comparable effects might be seen in human beings as well. For human beings, it might not be the smell…. it might be our perception of danger or food. In this case, a smart program where we control our perceptions might form the foundation of an easy yet powerful program to prevent disease and promote healthy aging.” from AntiAging Forum.
OUR sensory perceptions include — these perceptions include what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we taste and what we feel. The five senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

THE BEAUTIFUL COLORS AND USES OF THE BLUE OILS.

A chart of the blue oils showing the shades of different blue-colored oils — Fig. 2

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There are two major varieties of Chamomile that are used as herbal home remedies and for essential oils: Chamaemelum nobile or Anthemis nobilis, also known as Roman or English chamomile, and Matricaria chamomilla, also known as German or Hungarian chamomile. Today, they are two of the most widely used medicinal herbs in the world.

These two close herbal relatives are different plants of the same plant family – Asteraceae [Compositae]. Both varieties have an aromatic scent and bear small, daisy-like blossoms that are about one inch in diameter. They have similar properties, and many herbalists use them interchangeably in herbal remedies. However, they do have some distinct differences, and one is a perennial, while the other is an annual.

The one that is often most desired as a fragrant lawn substitute is the perennial double Chamomile of Chamaemelum nobile ‘Flore Pleno’. This is an old selection that is been in use for hundreds of years. It forms a low evergreen mat with ferny leaves and fluffy white flowers in early summer. The flowers can be dried and used for tea or mowed, dried and used for fragrant potpourri.

Double ‘Flore Pleno perennial Chamomile
fig. 3

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF THE BLUE OILS

The main property of any of the blue oils is as an anti-inflammatory, to control inflammation, usually of the skin and on some occasions, when taken internally, to control inner inflammation.

Use them by AP=application, IG=ingestion or IN=inhalation.

Application:

•Roman chamomile oil is used as a tea for its internal as well as external properties, as an antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and to relieve gastro-intestinal associations of distress. Both the flowers and the essential oil is used in skincare as an anti-inflammatory and Shirley Price has said that it is the best of all essential oils to use.

Ingestion:

•Blue Sage Tea (Artemisia douglasiana) “has been shown to help decrease the ill effects of lipid peroxides (rancid fats) on the liver. In dealing with the American diet and our strange reliance on processed foods, you must remember that fat and oil preservatives and antioxidants don’t change the existing rancidity, they just prevent more from happening and your finely tuned nose from detecting what has already happened.” (Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West 20).

•It is the Blue Tansy EO (Tanacetum annuum) with Ammi visnaga, which is used in capsules to treat wheezing and asthma. There are three excellent formulas for these issues at the end of my article on asthma. See http:///articles/asthma_bronchitis.html

Inhalation:

•The blue oils have many uses in blends and are used via inhalation or in the blends used in inhalers. Roman Chamomile is most easily obtainable and can be used in an inhaler, salt inhaler, mixed with Eucalyptus radiata and rubbed on the chest for inhalation uses to relieve the breathing.

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PHYSICAL USES & HOW USED (IG OR AP)

APPLICATION ~ The blue oils with the component of azulene are anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antibacterial and especially the chamomiles and blue Cypress are considered as being exceptional plants and oil in the skincare.

• Blue Chamomile CO₂from Matricaria chamomilla CO₂is a dark greenish-brown, an opaque, thick and viscous product of carbon dioxide extraction. It retains more of the natural floral odor of the flower and is a strong anti-inflammatory when added to any skincare product. Use it by taking a bit and working it well into some of your skin cream or lotion and then add more lotion until all is incorporated. In commercial products when Chamomile CO₂is used it is normally around 0.2±% of the total.

CO₂extracts are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the plant and has better solubility in the product. A wonderful fruity-scented healing addition to any skincare application.

German Chamomile CO₂ – EO ~ Color and Viscosity Fig. 4

• Blue Chamomile EO from Matricaria chamomilla is mentioned in P. Davis book, “use of German Blue Chamomile can be especially helpful where skin conditions may be aggravated by stress, and indeed where stress may be the underlying cause.” The two key constituents, (-)-alpha-bisabolol and chamazulene both of which are anti-inflammatory, account for 50-65 percent of total volatile oil content.

The Benefits of Azulene in Chamomile Essential Oil. The use of chamomile is increasing as the knowledge of azulene (chamazulene) grows. Azulene occurs in significant amounts in Matricaria chamomilla, (Matricaria recutita) and the use of this herb has surpassed even its cousin Roman Chamomile as the essential oil to use for skincare. Azulene and bisabolol are both in the GCMS of the deep blue essential oil. Both are powerfully anti-inflammatory. ”In one study on albino rats, German Chamomile was found to heal wound burning significantly compared to topical olive oil. Bisabolol itself has been studied and shown to be non-toxic and non-sensitizing, even when taken internally in large doses. The bisabolol offers rosacea sufferers an opportunity to alleviate itching and irritation, but azulene also goes a long way towards reducing rosacea’s redness by soothing inflamed capillaries.”

• Roman chamomile tea and EO –  The herb tea is anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, bitter tonic tea, carminative tea, digestive tea, emmenagogue tea (promotes menstrual flow), nervine, sedative-calming, and stomachic.  The EO is inhaled for asthma, used orally and is best for all uses.

Roman chamomile EO is insoluble in glycerin. “Upon exposure to air and light and on prolonged standing the light blue color of the oil changes first to green and later to yellow-brown. This oil presents one of the highest ester value of all essential oils, from 272 to 293.5” World of Aromatherapy, p. 203. Esters are used in skincare.

Roman chamomile has little chamazulene, and thus has gentler anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a higher alcohol content than its German Chamomile. It is the better choice for skin conditions and other topical applications. It is used in skin diseases, acne, chilblains (painful inflamed skin patches from the cold), and all skin irritations, applied as a compress for menstrual problems, neuritis (pins and needles in the limbs), neuralgia (sharp nerve pain), surgical intervention and pain relief, and used in perfumery. I have used in massage blends for relaxation. Rub a bit on the gums for teething pain.

• Achillea millefolium – Yarrow tea is aromatic, bitter, astringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, it relieves indigestion, increases perspiration; the herb tea is drunk or the EO is applied for feverish illnesses like colds, measles, and influenza; also, for cuts, bruises, ulcerous skin sores, hemorrhages, varicose veins, headaches, hypertension. The essential oils and hydrosol can be used directly on the skin for burns or scalds.

The scent of the essential oil is herbal and woody, and it is used externally for muscular aches and pains or in skincare for severe rashes and wounds that are difficult to heal. The herbal tea is used in skincare as well. Yarrow is used reducing the look of varicose veins and reduce scars. For formulas for hemorrhoids and varicose veins see http:///articles/varicose_veins.html

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Two bottles of Blue Tansy, Tanacetum annuum — Fig. 5 … Blue Tansy EO

• Tanacetum annuum-Blue Tansy EO uses ~ Active principles include monoterpenes with limonene as a major component, sesquiterpenes of chamazulene up to 30% and dihydrochamazulene. “The properties are anti-inflammatory, antihistamine when taken with Ammi visnaga, anti-itch, pain-relieving, soothing to the nerves when the plant oil is inhaled, hypotensive, possibly thymus stimulating and hormone-like.

I have used it in capsules for asthmatic crises (as it supplies a theophylline-type component which is a bronchodilator) along with Ammi visnaga), emphysema; in blends for irritating skin problems in adults, abnormal reddening of the skin and couperose skin problems, in skincare, arthritis, neuritis, sciatica, muscular rheumatism, hypertension, and varicose veins. Contra-indications: among certain women with endocrine imbalances.”⁷

Tanacetum annuum chemistry. Chemical Composition and Antifungal Properties of the Essential Oil of Tanacetum annuum in Blue tansy, aka Moroccan Tansy. Shoot oil of Tanacetum annuum was examined by GC and GC/MS and found to contain sabinene (22.3%) and camphor (13.2%) as major constituents. This oil was screened for its antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, Helminthosporium oryzae, Alternaria solani, Piricularia oryzae and Verticillium dahliae. T. annuum oil exhibited the strongest fungitoxicity by completely inhibiting the mycelial growth of each of the fungi at 5000 ppm…. J. Essent. oil Tes., 12, 122-124 (Jan/Feb 2000).

• Blue Cypress (Callitris intratropica) is considered an all-around first-aid remedy in the same way that Tea tree oil is used. And it has a considerably more pleasant odor.

• Artemisia arborescens – Blue Artemis used in salves and lotions is very effective for all sorts of skincare issues. Eatwell Farm makes a fabulous salve with the herbs they grow.

Jars of salve made of Artemisia arborescens and Lavender grown on Eatwell Farm — Fig. 6

EMOTIONAL/ENERGETIC USES (AP OR IN):
Inhalation of Roman Chamomile – Nervous tics, asthma, insomnia, headache, depression, and nervousness. It is very useful for hysteria, anger and child tantrums.

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A MINOR CHAMOMILE TOMATO TALE

Years ago, when my boy was about 8 years old, we were all gathered together around the dining room table, friends and family, having a glass of wine and chatting. We live in the city and up two flights of stairs from the street. The boys, my son and his friend were on their BMX bikes riding up and down the length of the hall and creating a tremendous cacophony. It was very noisy. I quietly got up, put some Roman Chamomile into a diffuser, aimed the nozzle towards the hall and diffused this essential oil into the atmosphere. It was only minutes before the noise died off and quiet reigned in the house. Too quiet, actually. I got up and went into the bedroom and now the boys were having a great time smoothing Vaseline into their hair and trying to get it to stand up in greasy peaks for that fashionable punk look. My son was laughing and enjoying the mess. Getting that Vaseline out-of-the-hair is another story.

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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION ~ Use these rare blue oils in moderation. If the herb works, use that first before the essential oil. They can be blended with just about any selection of oil to suit your purposes. I have a favorite at my desk of Eucalyptus smithii + Chamaemelum nobile in a small bottle that I use to inhale periodically when I am working at the computer.

EMOTIONAL/RITUAL USE ~ Many sources list a litany of magical and spiritual traditions for the Roman Chamomile. These sources list its use in spells for peace, love, tranquility, and purification. Teddy Fearnhamm, an aromatherapy teacher says, “a cascade of Roman Chamomile and you immediately feel loved”. In ritual, it is used to instill stillness, become spiritually aware, give inner peace and to become emotionally stable. These are all attributes we can use.

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BLENDING ~ The Chamomiles can be blended with just about any herb or citrus or wood or resin. It works well with flowers, barks, and spices. Arctander states that Roman Chamomile is used as a trace additive [and] imparts a warm, yet fresh note and a natural depth which is difficult to obtain by other means.

•Blue Chamomile is used in very small amounts to give a soft blue note to blends and perfumes and warmth and softness to the scent.

•Use Blue Tansy in moderation, it has better uses than being an addition to a perfume or diffusion blend.

•Blue Cypress added to a perfume or blend, does some miraculous scent-changing. I found it excellent to alter the slight fishy scent of the Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) when I was making deodorant. I have experimented with this oil and found a simple and easy Deodorant formula. First, I add 5% Blue Cypress to the Sandalwood oil. This deepens the scent and gives it an invisible deeper woody odor. Then I add 95% neutral grape spirits to 5-10% of the essential oils. And don’t worry about the alcohol in the formula. You only use a short spray under each armpit (less than a drop), the Sandalwood plus the alcohol kills the odor-causing bacteria. [The organism that is apparent in human body odor, Corynebacterium xerosis is strongly inhibited by Australian Sandalwood and thus would be useful in deodorant formulas. With all bacteria except the enterobacteria, Sandalwood oil demonstrated significantly greater antimicrobial efficacy than terpinene-4-ol, the main component of Tea tree oil.]

JeanneRose Deodorant Formula:
In a 100 ml bottle (3.5 oz) with a spray top
190 drops of Sandalwood oil
10 drops of Blue Cypress
This is about 6 ml. total
Fill the bottle with 95% neutral grape spirits (do not use vodka unless it is at 150 proof, do not use rubbing alcohol, use only real neutral grain or grape spirits (Everclear works also). The essential oils are at 6% and may need to be increased up to 10% depending on the level of scent that you want. At 6%, this formula kills the human body odor, leaving little to no odor of itself behind.

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SOME OTHER FORMULAS

Azulene in Blue Chamomile Essential Oil Can Calm Rosacea – Matricaria recutita extract is used in thousands of skincare products. Always be sure to dilute down to at least 1% concentration when used topically, and even half of that is enough to turn your base cream, oil or tonic serum a bright blue. Caution should be taken if you have any allergies since azulene in chamomile has been known to induce an allergic reaction.

•Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that principally affects the face. Rosacea causes facial redness and produces small, red, pus-filled pustules (bumps). Rosacea worsens with time if left untreated.

•Rosacea Formula is 20 drops of Calophyllum, 10 drops of Helichrysum, 2 drops or a tiny glob of Blue Chamomile CO₂ or West Coast Blue Artemis, , .5 oz Aloe vera gel, 1 scoop Oat beta-glucan, and up to 1 oz. Calendula infused oil. Mix these all together, and thin with Calendula oil to your desire. Apply twice daily. Store in the refrigerator.

• Clay-Mask for Delicate, Inflamed Skin ~ https://jeanne-blog.com/clays-and-muds/

Make a paste of white clay and water (or flower water). Add 1 drop of Matricaria recutita. Apply to clean face and let dry up to 15 minutes. Rinse off carefully and spray with hydrosol of Lavender or any others you might have.

• Neuritis and neuralgia and a Shingles remedy. – The formula of Essential Oils at 8% includes Helichrysum, Rosemary verbenone, Ravensara, and Roman Chamomile. Add 42% of the total in Calophyllum, and Calendula infused oil for the balance of the formula at 50%. If possible, make this formula by weight not volume. Shingles are very painful, a viral condition from old chickenpox stored in your body. I do not believe that essential oils can ‘cure’ it, but they can help ease the pain. There is a long article on my website about this. See http:///articles/shingles.html

A Formula for neuritis. Get a 1-oz bottle, add 30 drops Roman Chamomile, 20 drops of Rosemary verbenone and 10 drops Ravensara. Then fill with a carrier oil. I prefer to use a cold-pressed Olive oil that has been also pressed with Lavender flowers [see Sciabica Olive Oil]. Shake vigorously and label and use at will.

• Sunburn/Damaged Skin⁶
1% Artemisia arborescens EO
99% Aloe vera gel in solution
Apply as needed.

Fig. 7

HYDROSOL ~ Any of the hydrosols obtained while distilling plants will be acidic in nature and skin-loving for you. In particular, the plants that are mentioned in these two parts of “The Blue Oils” all produce quite effective hydrosols. The EO is only blue if the plants are picked in the morning ‘when the dew is dry but the sun not yet high’, and if mature flowers rather than leaves are picked. The waters are anti-inflammatory and can be added to any lotion or cream that you have. If you add them when the blue is still in the waters, that means that the essential oil has not quite settled out. These products need to be refrigerated.

I grew several of these plants for the hydrosol, especially the Artemisia arborescens, the blue Artemis, in my garden for years. The hydrosol was good for skincare and skin issues of all types. We like to mix it with seaweed gel for acne, rosacea, and skin irritations. I personally found the hydrosol to be more useful than the essential oil and so much easier to use, although slightly fungal in scent.

•Blue Chamomile and Roman Chamomile hydrosol. Eden Botanicals offers an organic Blue Chamomile hydrosol that they write is energetic and yet calming and comforting. They describe it as green, herbal, cool – like the scent of the tea. It is used as a gentle spray directly on the skin for compromised skin conditions, either combined with Witch hazel distillate or undiluted. Blue Chamomile hydrosol contains high amounts of bisabolol which is anti-inflammatory. A wonderful distillation water to use for all of your skin and bathing needs.

Fig. 7b

I adore Roman Chamomile hydrosol. I use it in the bath, as a facial toner and to spray my sheets for sleeping. Ann Harman found that in testing Roman Chamomile hydrosol there was 0.0042% of EO in it and the hydrosol was composed of 61 components, mainly sorbic acid, trans-pinocarveol and lesser amounts of ketones, acids, and other components.

See https://jeanne-blog.com/chamomile-roman-eo-profile/ and https://jeanne-blog.com/cypress-and-blue-cypress-eo/

•Blue Sage hydrosol, Artemisia douglasiana, The hydrosol has been found to be very effective against predations of snail populations. When I was able to obtain a gallon of the hydrosol (2000), I sprayed my San Francisco garden at the start of the spring and summer season, once again the following year and from that time to the present have not been bothered by the ubiquitous San Francisco snail brought here, in the 1800s to feed the hordes of gold miners or that is the gossip as to why we have so many. This was a great boon to the garden.

•Blue Yarrow hydrosol. There is a blue Yarrow hydrosol, although I have not had the opportunity to use it. Here is a photo of hydrosol produced by Tracy Stringfellow, who is a rancher, farmer, distiller of many lovely plants and their products. “Yarrow hydrosol is a great first aid for wounds. Wash a wound with the hydrosol to help stop the bleeding. Use it in daily treatments for wounds that will not heal. Compresses of Yarrow hydrosol on varicose veins and couperose (reddened, rough) skin will aid the healing. Use in a sitz bath for hemorrhoids and after childbirth. For digestion and hormone balancing, add a tablespoon a day to a glass of water as a drink for your diet and/or to spray lightly face or body.” —from Hydrosols & Aromatic Waters by Jeanne Rose

A flask of the Yarrow distillate containing both the essential oils floating on the hydrosol — Blue Yarrow Hydrosol by Tracy Stringfellow

Fig. 7c

HERBAL USES ~ Chamazulene itself does not occur in the plant but is formed from a sesquiterpene lactone called matricine during the steam distillation process. So, don’t expect to make herbal remedies with plants that produce blue oils and have a blue product. These plants should be carefully distilled from the freshly picked top of the plants and the hydrosol immediately frozen (to preserve the blue color) and the essential oil collected and stored in the freezer to preserve it from oxidation.

•“California Mugwort, Artemisia douglasiana (Blue Sage as an oil), is a traditional medicine of the Chumash Indians of California and is used in the treatment of menopausal symptoms, premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea. “The traditional treatment for menopause is a mild, A. douglasiana tea. This tea is much milder than the European A. vulgaris tea. A. douglasiana tea is made by placing a fresh or dried leaf in 300 ml of water. The mixture is warmed until it starts to boil at which time it is removed from the heat. The tea is allowed to steep for a few minutes prior [Copyright © 2012 SciRes. CM J. D. ADAMS ET AL. 119] to drinking. Sugar, honey or other sweeteners are not added. Anxiety is a learned disorder that must be unlearned. It is treated, in part, with A. douglasiana. People with anxiety attacks are treated once with sagebrush tea in the evening and then as needed.

A. douglasiana is also called dream sage (sagebrush) by Chumash Healers. To induce dreams, place the stems and leaves, under a pillow and sleep on the pillow. The fragrance helps with dreaming. When the plant dries, strip the leaves and stuff them into a small pillow. Place this under the regular pillow and continue sleeping on both pillows. This is a traditional use of A. douglasiana especially in very ill or aged people who cannot dream. Dreaming is considered an essential part of life and healing.

Thujone in A. douglasiana does not come over in the tea but it does in the alcohol extract.

“Gabapentin activates presynaptic GABAB heteroreceptors on glutamatergic neurons resulting in less release of glutamate. How this mechanism decreases hot flashes is not known. Gabapentin has adverse drug effects including seizures and sudden unexplained death. A. douglasiana is much safer therapy for menopausal symptoms than these drugs.”¹⁵

•When taking Matricaria chamomillaas a tea for stomach ache, sleep tea and any inflammatory issue, the dosage is “In adults, oral administration for traditional uses are generally as follows: (1) dried flower heads: 2-8 g as an infusion three times daily; (2) liquid extract/ tincture: 1-6 mL up to three times daily of 1:1 potency; 7-15 mL up to three times daily of 1:5 potency” see. Alternative Medicine Review Volume 13, Number 1 2008

•When using Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, the blooms have stronger medicinal properties than the leaves. Use the flowers as a tea to treat colds, fevers and to improve digestion and circulation. It is also a valuable tonic for the liver and kidneys. Yarrow flowers as tea can aid in increasing appetite and digestion. When used for the common cold it can help the body remove toxins. It can also aid the symptoms of PMS. It also stimulates the kidneys and urinary tract as an antiseptic. It is traditionally thought to relieve the symptoms of stomach cramps, rheumatism, hypertension, etc. or as a general tonic. Topically, it can treat (the flower tea) wounds, cuts, rashes, and burns. The leaves can be crushed and used to stop bleeding. Hemorrhoids can be eased by some Yarrow flowers added to a cool bath.

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KEY USE ~ Use the Blue Oils to relieve inflammation and some relieve asthma.

Several Examples of 8 different blue oils, 21 bottles in all. — Fig. 8

MORE ON THE CHAMOMILE TYPES

Chemotypes investigation of essential oils of Chamomile herbs : A short review — Plants named “Chamomile”, in Arabic “babounj”, belong to the genus Anthemis, Chamaemelum, Cladanthus and Matricaria (Asteraceae). Chamomile has been recommended for a variety of healing applications and is included in the FDA’s (US Food and Drug Administration) GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list. There has been an increasing interest in the use of natural substances instead of synthetic chemicals, due to the fact that many herbal medicines are free from side effects and seen as “green” so that it is advisable to cultivate medicinal plants because of the possibility to better control quality of the target bioactive components. The species Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile), and Anthemis nobilis syn. Chamaemelum nobilis (Roman chamomile) and Cladanthus mixtus (Moroccan Chamomile) are usually referred to as the common name “Chamomile”. Nowadays, chamomile is a highly favored and much-used medicinal plant in folk medicine throughout the world as an antispasmodic. Essential oils of chamomile herbs have been reported for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, healing, stimulative, carminative, spasmolytic and sedative activities. In continuation of our works on Asteraceae, we report here an investigation of the chemotypes of essential oils of “Chamomile” herbs from the Asteraceae family. … J. Mater. Environ. Sci. 7 (4) (2016) 1229-1235

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OTHER BLUE OILS Discussed by the APP (Aromatic Plant Project)

During this investigation of “The Blue Oils” and because I was involved in organizing the growing of essential oil plants in the Pacific Northwest, specifically California, for the express purpose of encouraging distillation here of aromatic plants as an industry; I was able to look at and smell many oils that had been distilled in Oregon. I went into detail about their naming and uses in part I and will only briefly name a few of these oils here in part 2. The Aromatic Plant Project (APP) was a non-profit educational organization whose mission statement is here given. >MISSION. The mission of the APP is to support local and organic production of aromatic plants; to provide resources for growers and distillers; to ensure high-quality aromatherapy products and to educate consumers as to the appropriate and beneficial uses of these aromatic products. The MISSION STATEMENT is: Cultivating today for a fragrant tomorrow.

Blue Artemis – Fig. 9

•ARTEMISIA ARBORESCENS (Blue Artemis) is a luscious deep-blue, indigo-colored oil with the characteristic scent of thujone but no thujone is contained in the plants that grow in the NW part of the USA. Oregon oil has camphor but no thujone while the Moroccan oil has thujone and little camphor. There are different uses for each of these oils. This USA sample had been analyzed as having a 20% – 40% azulene content.

•ARTEMISIA DOUGLASIANA (A heterophylla) essential oil is a clear royal blue, with a sweet sage-like odor, called Blue Sage. With this color of azulene and knowing the Native American uses of the plant, I would think that this California and Pacific Northwest species will ultimately find wonderful uses in the body-care industry especially for serious skin conditions and external applications for rheumatism or headache. There is also a CT (chemotype) of this plant with green oil.

•TANACETUM VULGARE cv Goldsticks. This essential oil is a very pale sky blue with a hint of thujone odor. I do not feel that it has any external applications in the body-care industry or use in aromatherapy.

•ARTEMISIA LUDOVICIANA var. latiloba CT esters (White Mugwort) is a watery blue in color, very perky and fruity-scented with sage and eucalyptus overtones. According to the Native Americans, the herb was used as an herbal tea to expel a dead fetus among many uses and externally to remove tumors. This was developed by a particular distiller in Oregon from only personally picked, fruity-scented types of A. ludoviciana and though the plant exists today (2020) in the wild, it no longer exists as the chemotype described as ‘esters’. That plant has died out.

•Two other oils with pale blue color were Daucus carota, which is commonly called Queen Ann’s Lace (Wild Carrot) and Chinese Celery. The oil of Aralia californica of leaves and flowers and Conioselinum pacificum with their pale colors, almost green in hue do not fall within this short article.

•I have also distilled a variety of Pelargonium graveolens called Mabel Gray that produces a pale blue oil and hydrosol. There is a picture of this on my website. http://www.aromaticplantproject.com/hydrosols.html

THE NASTY TOMATO TALE OF OXIDIZED BLUE CHAMOMILE

I enjoy telling my stories because it helps people, students, and teachers alike, to understand what sometimes happens when you use essential oils and what is being sold in the retail market.

A few years ago, I was in Hopland, CA at a store that sold equipment to save energy in the household. They had a small counter of ‘organic’ skincare and some essential oils. And one of the essential oils was Blue Chamomile in 15 ml-size brown glass bottles and it was listed at a truly small and ridiculous price for the amount of oil. This piqued my interest and I asked the saleslady if I could smell this oil and look at the color. The smell was truly awful – like rotten vegetation and spoiled cabbage. The color was even worse a ripening brown that looked like runny feces and together with the scent, one wondered what was in that bottle. A bit had gotten on my fingers and I was repulsed and ran to their bathroom to wash my hands, but no amount of soap was going to remove that putrid odor. At that moment, I might have chosen to remove the finger to get rid of the scent.

I informed the salesperson that they were selling a truly awful, out-of-date, old and rancid, oxidized Blue Chamomile. They left it on the shelf. When I got home, I wrote the store manager as well. Their response? “well the consumer is getting a good price”. Then I found and called the distributor in Florida and they were very dismissive, saying that they had gotten a really good deal on this oil and were doing the consumer a favor by making it available.

Truly, those who are reading this — This is NOT a favor to you to save money but to purchase something rotten and loathsome. Would you be pleased to buy an old rotten zucchini if it were a price reduction? My point is that you should get to know what you want, what it should look like including color, what it should smell like and make sure you do not waste your money on a bad product. This is one of the downsides of brown glass bottles. You can not see what you are purchasing. Color is important – if it is a blue essential oil it should be a blue color if it is a CO₂extraction it will be greenish-brown. Remember that!

Fig. 10

The blue color is the sesquiterpene AZULENE and all essential oils containing azulene are anti-inflammatory as a property both by inhalation and by application and occurs in EO, not in the plant (matricine).

**Oxidation changes the chemical composition of the essential oil. If any of these oils are greenish-black or brown when they should be deep blue, it indicates oxidation, age, and the existence of free radicals, and they should not be used for therapy. Furthermore, if the clear to yellow oils appear deep yellow to deep brown, they too have oxidized and are too old to use therapeutically.

© The above table, fig 10 is copyrighted and may not be used without the express permission of Jeanne Rose Aromatherapy •219 Carl St. • San Francisco, CA 94117; ph. 415/564-6337; info@jeannerose.net or

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Fig. 11

SCIENCE ARTICLE ~ Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Azulene ..F. Alan Andersen, First Published April 1, 1999 Research Article

Abstract ..Azulene is an extract from the volatile oil of several perennial herbs and is detected in tobacco smoke. It functions as a skin conditioning agent in cosmetic formulations, including hair dyes. Azulene is reported to be used in a wide range of cosmetic formulations, but these reported uses are likely to be uses of guaiazulene, a chemically related colorant because there are currently no suppliers of azulene to the cosmetics industry. The anti-inflammatory action of azulene has been demonstrated in several animal studies. Effects at the cellular level are reported to include inhibition of respiration and growth, but no effect on ciliary activity or membrane permeability. Relatively low oral toxicity was seen in acute animal studies. Azulene was not mutagenic in an Ames test, with and without metabolic activation. An allergic response to azulene was noted in one case report. These data were clearly insufficient to support the safety of azulene in cosmetics. Additional data needed to make a safety assessment include methods of manufacture and impurities, especially naphthalene; current concentration of use; skin penetration, if there is significant skin penetration, then both a 28-day dermal toxicity study to assess general skin and systemic toxicity and a reproductive and developmental toxicity study are needed; one genotoxicity study in a mammalian system, if positive, then a 2-year dermal carcinogenesis study using National Toxicology Program methods is needed; skin irritation and sensitization in animals or humans; and ocular toxicity.

‡

NOTES TO TEXT & BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Parsons, Pamela. “Chamomile”. The Aromatic “Thymes“. (Spring 1994) 2:2.
2. Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. (Elizabeth, NJ: Steffen Arctander, 1960.)
3. Franchomme, P. and Penoel, Docteur D. L’Aromatherapie Exactement. (Limoges, France: Roger Jollois Editeur, 1990.)
4. Guenther, Ernest, Ph.D. The Essential Oils. (Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company 1976.) (original edition 1952.) (in VI volumes)
5. Parry, Ernest J. Parry’s Cyclopedia of Perfumery. Philadelphia, PA: P. Blakisont’s Son & Co., 1925.) (in II volumes)
6. Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 3rd edition, 1994.) Available from /books.html
7. Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. (San Francisco, CA: Jeanne Rose Aromatherapy, 3rd edition, 1994.) Available from /books.html
8. Tutin, Heywood, Burges, Moore, Valentine, Walters and Webb, Editors. Flora Europaea, Vol. 4. (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1976.)
9. Mabberley, D.J. The Plant Book. (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, corrected reprint, 1989.)
10. Lewis, Walter H. “Notes on Economic Plants.” Economic Botany. 46(4) pp. 426-430. (1992.)
11. Bailey, L.H., staff of. Hortus Third. (Cornell, New York: Hortorium, Cornell University, 1977.)
12. http://www.aromaticplantproject.com/articles_archive/azulene_chamomile.html
13. The Blue Oils. By Jeanne Rose. Published in “The Aromatic Plant Project” from archives •1994
14. http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Plant
15 Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, Artemisia douglasiana, Artemisia argyi) in the Treatment of Menopause, Premenstrual Syndrome, Dysmenorrhea and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by James David Adams, Cecilia Garcia, Garima Garg University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles, USA, 2012
16. Yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of Moroccan chamomile [Cladanthus mixtus (L.) Chevall.] growing wild at different sites in Morocco. A Elouaddari, A El Amrani, JJ Eddine… – Flavour and …, 2013 – Wiley Online Library

References:
Arctander, Steffen. . Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. (Elizabeth, NJ: Steffen Arctander, 1960.)
Harman, Ann. Harvest to Hydrosol
Mabberley, D.J., Mabberley’s Plant Book, 2008 Third Edition with 2014 updates, Cambridge University Press
Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols.
Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations.
Rose, Jeanne. Hydrosols & Aromatic Waters. /books.html
Worwood, Susan & Valerie Ann. Aromatherapy.

A field in California showing several long rows of Artemisia arborescens. — Fig 12. A field of Artemisia arborescens in California

BLUE OILS-pt 1

Jan29

By Jeanne Rose ~ January MMXX

BLUE OILS ~ PART I OF 2

Synopsis ~ the blue oils are nine or more essential oils from two botanical groups that when distilled produce a blue-colored oil. They are all anti-inflammatory and very helpful to skin health.

8 bottles of essential oil - all containing azulene and are blue incolor. — **Fig. 1. Eight blue-oils from two botanical groups**

Three things to learn

1. the blue oils are blue in color

2. there is no blue in the plant itself

3. if the color of the EO is turning — brown to yellow it is oxidized, don’t use it.

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WHY DO WE CALL THEM THE ‘BLUE OILS ~ We call them ‘blue oils’ because they are blue in color. Yes, essential oils have color. These colors include a pale sky blue such as in Roman Chamomile (although it seems to quickly lose that color), the azure-colored Blue Sage (Artemisia douglasiana) or the royal blue-colored oils such as Blue Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and cobalt-blue Blue Tansy (Tanacetum annuum) and the viscous indigo-colored oil from Blue Artemis (Artemisia arborescens) and sapphire-Blue Cypress (Callitris intratropica). Some of these plants are related and some are not.

The molecule called azulene is a dark blue color. It is composed of two terpenoids; vetivazulene a derivative of Vetivert and guaiazulene (also called azulon) mainly from guaiac and chamomile oil. This molecule is also found in some of the pigments of mushrooms, plants like guaiac wood oil and also in marine invertebrates, and corals. Azulenes, although usually a shade of blue, can also be green, violet, blue/violet and red/violet. It is a brilliant rainbow of color due to its chemical structure. ¹²

The blue Chamazulene itself does not occur in the plant but forms during the distillation process from a sesquiterpene lactone called matricine. Usually, the flowers of these plants are yellow sometimes white.

Azulene has a long history, dating back to the 15^th century as the azure-blue chromophore obtained by steam distillation of German Chamomile. The chromophore was discovered in Yarrow and Wormwood and named in 1863 by Septimus Piesse. See article at my website http://www.aromaticplantproject.com/articles_archive/azulene_chamomile.html

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INTRODUCTION ~ Since 1970, when I first started teaching my Aromatherapy & Herbal Studies Courses and giving seminars, I was much intrigued by the blue color and navy-blue color of some essential oils. Since that time, I have studied and collected them and in (1990) I also became aware of an oil called Ormenis sold as Chamomile OR Cladanthus mixtus or Moroccan Chamomile. I had purchased it several times and sometimes it was blue and sometimes yellow. This was very interesting, and I knew that there was definitely confusion amongst sellers and buyers of essential oils. I now wonder if even some of the producers know what they are picking and distilling.

In 1994, a detailed article (“Chamomile”, from The Aromatic “Thymes”. (Spring 1994) 2:2) describing some of the oils labeled or sold as Chamomile was written. The author discussed the Chamomile oils, various blue-colored oils, their healing properties as well as specific applications, safety, and perfumery usage. The article refers to many popular texts but lacks true taxonomic reference. It states “that depending on which book or article you read Blue Chamomile can mean two or more different plants entirely. Therefore, when I see something labeled or described simply Blue Chamomile, I am not amused”¹. After reading this article, it was apparent that there was much confusion regarding the common names of some of the blue-colored oils.

For instance, the genus Ormenis/Ormensis is one I undertook to investigate and have studied it to this day. I found that it is an old out-of-date name and Chamaemelum was the genus name although I have found recently that it is now named Cladanthus mixtus. There were and are also several very prominent essential oil companies selling Blue Tansy (Tanacetum annuum) as Blue Chamomile, which it is not – as well as confusing Moroccan Chamomile (Cladanthus mixtus) with several of the blue-colored oil even though this particular plant usually produces a yellow to mustard-colored oil.

The same plant botanically will always have the same botanical name all over the world but may have different common names depending on the country or area of the country. This is why you should learn the correct botanical (taxonomic) name of every plant and essential oil that you use.

You will find that there are no hard and fast rules to giving common names to plants. Classifying and naming plant essential oils can also be a mess. And though many of the blue oils with their vivid blue-colored azulene have similar uses as an anti-inflammatory because of this azulene content, there are cases where it is important to know EXACTLY which oil you have or need. As with anything, the best way to clarify confusion is to research and experiment using valid informative texts. Do not purchase these expensive blue oils until you truly know which one that you want.

Especially, do talk your source and get complete information about the oils you are purchasing, the Latin binomial, the part of the plant used, the country of origin and color one should expect in the oil. Hopefully they will know that essential oils do have color and that sometimes it is very specific to the oil. Buy a small quantity of the same oil from 2 different sources and compare color and scent. Also purchase a good book from an author who is not invested in an essential oil company. Several excellent aromatherapy books exist, The Aromatherapy Book – Applications & Inhalations by this author is a good start.

Remember for each terroir that each year of growth, each harvest, each separate distillation will result in an oil with slightly different amounts of chemical components and possibly slightly different color. The terroir or environment and individual ecology of a plant is important in the resultant essential oil. A year or two of great drought may result in a lower yield of essential oil but with improved or “stronger” components. A GC/MS is good but is only one aspect of ‘knowing’ an essential oil. The fragrance of any particular essential oil varies slightly from year to year and is totally dependent on the vagaries of “Mother Nature”⁷ and even the skill of the distiller. One study confirms that the Cladanthus mixtus species has different oil compositions depending on the area in which the plant is grown and thus the EO can sometimes be a darker yellow or a blue depending upon the (person) distiller. And this is probably true of many other plants and their essential oils. Always know what part of the plant is being harvested for the oil.

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NAMING ~ The plants we are discussing are Chamaemelum and Cladanthus (Ormenis), Matricaria, Artemisia arborescens and A. douglasiana, Tanacetum annuum, Achillea and Callitris. See my book, 375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols, chapter 2, Plant Names Mean Something⁷.

Chamaemelum nobile or Roman Chamomile comes from words meaning low-growing and from mel which means honey and nobile means nobile that is, a noble and low-growing and honey -smelling plant. Yes, Latin names mean something.

Cladanthus mixtus, the Moroccan Chamomile, both the blue-colored and yellow one, the name is from Greek words meaning flower (anthos) and branching or shoot (clad) [branching flower] and mixtus from the Latin word meaning blended as the plant looks like a combination of other plants.

Matricaria chamomilla, the German Chamomile, from words meaning a low-growing plant (chamo) and mother or uterus (matri) named for the uses that this plant had for women.

Artemisia (the goddess of the hunt) and arborescens (tree-like),is the tree-like Mugwort, a large plant that can be difficult to grow and does not respond well to pruning.

Artemisia douglasiana, also called Douglas’s sagewort; the genus name after the Greek goddess of the hunt and David Douglas who was a Scottish botanist who collected plants in Hawaii and apparently fell into a pit on Mauna Kea in Hawaii and was crushed by a bull who had also fallen in.

Tanacetum annuum, a plant with a sapphire-blue oil and the name means simply a tansy plant that is an annual. The oil has become known as an anti-asthmatic which is used by ingestion rather than inhalation or application.

Achillea millefolium, the common Yarrow is named after Achilles and refers to the fact that this plant was used to heal his wounds, and millefolium or a thousand flowers because of the look of the flowers.

Callitris intratropica is from the Greek word calli or beautiful and treis or three, alluding to the beautiful 3-fold arrangements of its parts, leaves i.e. scales and intratropica within the tropics. See the post for more information. https://jeanne-blog.com/cypress-and-blue-cypress/

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FAMILY of Asteraceae and Cupressaceae.

The Asteraceae family includes the Chamaemelum, Matricaria, Artemisia, Tanacetum and Achillea; while the Cupressaceae family of Class Coniferae includes only the Callitris Intratropica of the family Cupressaceae.

•

FAMILY CHART OF THE BLUE OILS

A botanical chart showing the family connections between the various blue-colored oils — **Fig. 2**

Most of the Blue-colored oils occur in the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. Seven genera are represented. There is one Cupressaceae (woody Conifer) type.

The blue oils are anti-inflammatory, generally because of the azulene content, although there are other factors such as bisabolol that is also inflammatory. Also, one of the blue oils is best taken internally for various reasons. (See properties in part 2 of this article). Callitris is a great first-aid oil to apply externally; it can be mixed with Plai or Tea Tree.

•

COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN: Native to Europe, North Africa and Siberia naturalized worldwide.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT, HABITAT & GROWTH ~ Even experts are confused by the variety of looks that each of the various species of these groups attains and the physical descriptions have been described in greater detail in more scholarly texts and also more simply in an article I wrote for the Aromatic Plant Project in 1994. See especially the references at the end of the article numbered 8, 9, 10, and 11.

A plant grown near water will often be more luxuriant than the same exact plant grown without water. Be aware of the terroir in which a plant does best and if growing it on your own try to imitate the best environment. Rich soil and abundant water may not be what makes a plant grow to its best.

These descriptions of plants may not be the most interesting to read but they are very important in order to know the plant. Get a good ID book — these are available in your local arboretum or botanical garden store, in any national park store as well as a general bookstore. The Peterson Field Guides are especially valuable.

Botany ~ Blue Oils Botany

“Cladanthus mixtus (L.) All., loc. Cit. (1785), Moroccan chamomile, is described as a somewhat pubescent annual 10-60 cm, often much-branched, with divaricate branches…in cultivated fields, roadsides, and maritime sands. Mediterranean region and S.W. Europe, extending northwards to France.”⁸ It is a good-looking plant, 90-125 cm high with very hairy leaves and tubular yellow flowers. The plant is probably a native of northwest Africa and evolved from a very common Ormenis species which grows all over the Mediterranean countries. The essential oil was not described. The herbarium sample I saw shows a plant to be a close look-alike to the annual Matricaria recutita and almost identical to Chamæmelum nobile. It has a mixed look of both.

“Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All., F. Pedem. 1:185 (1785) (aka Anthemis nobilis L.), Roman Chamomile, short perennial; more or less pubescent, decumbent, aromatic perennial (5-)10-30 c. Leaves 2- to 3-pinnatisect. Roadsides and damp grassland. W. Europe northwards to N. Ireland; formerly frequently cultivated for lawns, for ornament and for infusions and locally naturalized. Different from the above-mentioned C. mixtus which has most of the cauline leaves 1-pinnatisect while C. nobile has most of the cauline leaves 2- to 3-pinnatisect.”⁸ Also called Roman Chamomile oil. [see also Matricaria recutita.]. Can be used in lawns for fragrance.

“Matricaria chamomilla, Sweet Chamomile, Sweet False Chamomile. Sweet-scented, much-branched, glabrous annual, to 2 ½ feet; leaves to 2-3/8-inch-long, 2-pinnatifid into linear segments; heads 1 inch across, receptacle conical; disc flowers yellow, 5-lobed, ray flowers 10-20, white, reflexed, achenes 5-ribbed. Europe to west Asia; naturalized in North America.”¹¹

3 pictures of Herbarium samples of the plants named Chamomile. Learn the botanical name. — **Fig. 3 – 3 plants called Chamomile**

. “Artemisia arborescens L., Tree Mugwort, Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 1188 (1763). White-tomentose, aromatic perennial to 7 feet high; stems 50-100 cm, woody below. Leaves 1- to 2-pinnatisect or the upper sometimes simple, petiolate; capitula 6-7 mm across, in a large, paniculate inflorescence. Receptacle hairy. Corolla glabrous. Mediterranean region, S. Portugal.⁸

This is a plant that I have grown for 20-years in my garden until a gardener decided to prune it and thus killed it by slow death over the next three years.

A. douglasiana Besser, Douglas Mugwort, a perennial that grows from 5 to 25 dm (2-7 feet) high from a rhizome. There are many stems that are erect and brown to gray-green. The leaves are evenly spaced, 1-11 (15) cm, and are narrowly elliptic to widely oblanceolate at and entirely or coarsely 3-5 lobed near the tip, sparsely tomentose above and densely white-tomentose below. Fruit 14

I am unable to grow this plant in my yard because of the lack of sun from two huge trees, a redwood to the east and a Eucalyptus to the west.

Fig. 4 – Tree Mugwort and Douglas Mugwort. photo by Jeanne Rose

Artemisia arborescens is 6-feet hight — Artemisia douglasiana stems are 15 inches long.

• Annual Tansy, Tanacetum annuum. L., “Sp. Pl 844 (1753). Ligules yellow or absent (T. parthenium has white ligules.) Greenish-pubescent annual to 3-feet high. Stems 20-80 cm, branched. Leaves pinnatisect, the cauline 1-3 cm; segments linear, acute or acuminate, sparsely pubescent to glabrous. All florets hermaphrodite, tubular, 5-toothed. Achenes 5-ribbed. Cultivated ground and waste places. S.W. Europe.”⁸

2 plants that produce blue-colored essential oil; Tanacetum annuum and Achillea millefolium. — **Blue Tansy –** **Tanacetum annuum** **& Yarrow in the S.F. Botanical Garden – Fig. 5**

Achillea millefolium, Yarrow, commonly called common yarrow, is a rhizomatous, spreading, upright to mat-forming perennial that is considered by many to be an aggressive weed. Common yarrow from Europe and Asia was originally introduced to America in colonial times and has since naturalized throughout the U. S. primarily along roadsides, fields, waste areas and lawns. These species plants are noted for producing deeply-dissected, fern-like, aromatic, medium green foliage and tiny, long-lasting, white flowers that appear in dense, flattened, compound corymbs (to 2-4” across) throughout the summer on stems typically rising 2-3 feet or more tall.—Missouri Botanical Garden

Blue Cypress oil and the tree that produces it via the bark and wood. — **Fig. 6**

• Callitris intratropica, Cypress-Pine, the blue-colored oil from the wood and the bark and an old tree for comparison. For the description of the tree and the oil, please refer to my blog https://jeanne-blog.com/cypress-and-blue-cypress-eo/

PORTION OF PLANT USED IN DISTILLATION, HOW DISTILLED, EXTRACTION METHODS ~ Chamazulene itself does not occur in the plant but is formed from a sesquiterpene lactone called matricine during the steam distillation process. So, don’t expect to make herbal remedies with plants that produce blue oils and have a blue product. These plants should be carefully distilled mainly from the flower, and the hydrosol immediately frozen (to preserve the blue color) and the essential oil collected and stored in the freezer to preserve it from oxidation.

In the plants that produce blue-colored oil, the flowers are the best part to distill whether by steam or hydro-distillation. They should be picked early in the day for the most abundant matricine and distilled immediately. As an example, for the best Yarrow EO or hydrosol, only the top flowering parts are harvested. The same is true for each of the eight species mentioned except for Blue Cypress for which the inner bark and wood is distilled.

Fig. 7

• The Magic of Distillation is being able to observe and watch something colorless change into something gorgeous blue. There is pure magic to distillation with the plants that contain matricine – that magical alchemical moment when you are distilling that the matricine dies and becomes something new. It changes within the blink of an eye from the plants’ colorless clear essential oil liquid and turns the perfect blue of the azulene. A different blue for each of the plants. Best observed via a glass receiver or Florentine style filtering flask.

The end of the condensing pipe, emptying into the receiver, showing the clear drops of distillate turning blue. — **Fig. 7a. Photo by Tracy Stringfellow of her beautiful Yarrow changing by the magic of alchemy from colorless to** **blue.**

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SUSTAINABILITY ~ Blue Tansy ( is Native to the Mediterranean area, but this plant has gradually disappeared due to excessive harvesting of wild plants. Albert Vieille Company has reintroduced this plant called blue Tansy (it actually has yellow flowers) to Morocco to produce the blue essential oil.

It is important that you examine each of the plants for their ability to reproduce before you choose to harvest or wild-craft them. Many plants are in dire straits because of human incursion into their environment. Best to learn to grow what you want to harvest.

In my 30 years with these plants, I have seen a half dozen farmers learn to grow several of the blue-oiled plants and then pull them from the soil because it took so long for consumers to learn and know them. You cannot expect farmers to grow plants that cannot be sold due to consumer ignorance.

**Fig. 7 b. Gorgeous farm-grown Yarrow. Photo by Tracy Stringfellow**

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STORAGE ~ All the blue-colored oils are likely to oxidize in time due to the azulenes and they should be stored in the freezer. Since Blue Cypress is a somewhat viscous oil and comes from the bark and wood, do not freeze but keep in the fridge, probably in the door section. It will get more viscous, but the colder air of the fridge will delay any deterioration and the essential oil will last longer. Just remember to bring it out of the fridge several hours before you are going to use the oil so that it warms up some. With the blue oils, you must be very careful and conscious of their color. If it is oxidizing, it will go from a beautiful blue to a green, greenish-black and eventually to brown. If brown put it down and do not use for therapy or medicinal use. The scent will also change and become what can only be described as ‘nasty’ — the scent impossible to wash off your hands. This is why you must always check the organoleptic qualities of your essential oils – there is much to be learned by their color, clarity, viscosity, and intensity.

Fig. 8

• ODOR DESCRIPTION ~ Left nostril smells the scent AND Right nostril smells the intensity

Left side nostril smells the scent; right side nostril smells the intensity. So, smell on the left side, then smell on the right and then waft back and forth under the nose to get the entire scent experience.
•

•Blue Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, has a deep blue color and an aroma of fruit and toasted nuts.
•Roman Chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile, is pale blue to colorless and fruity, herbaceous and oily-aldehydic.
•Cladanthus mixtus, the yellow Moroccan Chamomile has a spicy-fruity odor.
•Blue Tansy, Tanacetum annuum, that most helpful plant for the respiratory system odor is toasty, green-conifer and warm.
•Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, the odor is unmistakable herbaceous and woody with an airy undernote.
•Blue Artemis, Artemisia arborescens, can be camphorous (no thujone) and herbaceous when it is distilled from plants grown on the west coast of the United States and very much like wormwood when distilled from plants grown in Morocco or Tunisia because of the high thujone content.
•Blue Sage also called Douglas Mugwort, Artemisia douglasiana, is herbaceous, clean and coniferous.
•Blue Cypress, Callitris intratropica, the odor is a low-intensity wood and somewhat cypress-like and camphoraceous back note.

IF ANY OF THESE ODORS are tending to an unpleasant fungal side, they are oxidizing. Remember, that you can know them by their scent. If the scent is changing, check also the color and if moving from a blue to dirty blue or brown, the oil is probably oxidizing and unusable. Remember to store these oils in the freezer.

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TASTE THE OILS. Taste does not mean eating, it only means when you put a sample on a scent strip, that after checking the fragrance you can give a lick to the strip to get the taste of the oil. Steam-distilled oils or CO₂ extracts can be tasted this way. Use all your senses to know your oils. Scientists describe seven basic tastes of astringent, bitter, pungent-chili, salty, sour, sweet, and umami. However, the tongue recognizes five basic tastes of bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami.

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COLOR & CHEMISTRY OF THE BLUE OILS ~ By examining all of these oils one can see which were the old and improperly stored oils and even last year’s distillation by their color. When they begin to oxidize, they turn yellow or brown; brownish-yellow for Ormenis and greenish-black for azulene-containing oils. Sometimes it is a disadvantage for the essential oils to be sold in brown bottles because the consumer cannot judge the age and quality of the oil by the color. My suggestion is that knowledgeable consumers carry around a bit of blotter paper and take a tiny sample by blotting the inside of the lid of these expensive oils, examining them carefully for color and scent before purchase. Also, the consumer must take some responsibility and learn the Latin binomial and make sure essential oils are labeled completely before they buy them. These blue-colored oils will show age and oxidation with a change in color from blue to greenish-black to green or from pale yellow to yellow-brown. If blackish or brown – put it down.

A color bar of 7 blue colors — **Fig. 9**

••Chamaemelum nobile — Chamazulene (27.80 %), β-pinene (7.93 %), 1,8- cineole (7.51 %), α-pinene (5.94 %), α-bisabolol (5.76 %) were found major compounds in Chamaemelum nobile.

•Matricaria chamomilla The main compounds identified were α-bisabolol (56.86%), trans-trans-farnesol (15.64%), cis-β-farnesene (7.12%), guaiazulene (4.24%), α-cubebene (2.69%), α-bisabolol oxide A (2.19%) and chamazulene (2.18%) and in another study In Matricaria recutita major compounds were chamazulene (31.2 %), 1,8-cineole (15.2 %) β-pinene (10.11 %), α-pinene (8.14 %), α-bisabolol (7.45 %) and terpinen-4-ol (4.11 %)

•Cladanthus mixtus – MOROCCAN CHAMOMILE when distilled is sometimes a blue color and more often a caramel or mustard color. The yields of the essential oils ranged between 0.1% and 0.8% (v/d.w.). These samples (Benguerir, Kenitra, Settat, Meknes, and Tamesna) were characterized by the dominance of camphor (14–27%), β‐myrcene (3–17%) and santolina triene (3–15%). All these and Chefchaouane essential oils showed a blue color. β‐Myrcene (3–17%), trans‐β‐farnesene (18%) and 2‐tridecanone (16%) dominated the Chefchaouane essential oil, Whereas Oujda, Bouznika and Sidi Alal Ibahraoui essential oils were yellow whereas trans‐β‐farnesene (43%) was the main component in the Oujda essential oil.¹⁶

•Tanacetum annuum. The main compounds were myrcene (13.67 %), camphor (12.67 %), sabinene (9.49 %), -pinene (7.70 %), -phellandrene (6.95 %) and chamazulene (5.87 %).

•Achillea millefolium the major components extracted from the stems, leaves, and inflorescences were found to be β-thujone (8.3–21.7%), camphor (8.6–11.7%), 1, 8-cineole (7.7–15.2%), β-pinene (3.8–7.8%) and sabinene (5.7–8.9%). More than sixty components have been identified;

•Artemisia arborescens. . EO extracted from dried aerial parts of the plant from Algeria, the main constituents of the essential oil were chamazulene (30.2%), β-thujone (27.8%), β-eudesmol (8.1%) and catalponol (5.5%). USA grown, specifically Pacific Northwest, the main components were 40% chamazulene, camphor 16%, many other components including terpenes such as 5% myrcene.

•Artemisia douglasiana artemisia ketone, yomogi alcohol, antifungal activity of vulgarone B and verbenone. I have seen a source list Douglas/California Mugwort leaves as containing α-thujone constituting 10% to 68% of the essential oil. Active compounds including many sesquiterpene lactones such as vulgarin and psilostachyin, and probably monoterpenoids such as thujone and alpha-pinene. The yield of essential oil from A. douglasiana is about 0.6–0.8% by weight of the dry material, including plant stems.

•Callitris intratropica— Australian Blue Cypress Oil is a vivid and pure cobalt-blue colored oil (see fig. 6), opaque, viscous like cane syrup, medium intensity odor (5 on a scale of 1-10). The taste is bitter. Turns green when oxidized. It contains various alcohols like 10-11% bulnesol and terpenes and 24.3% citronellic acid and 20% guaiol.

• C. columellaris — Australian Victorian Emerald Cypress oil is emerald green in color. And there is also an Australian Jade Cypress oil, Callitris glaucophylla used for pain and bruising that is a jade-green in color. For more information on the latter two please see http://www.aromaticplantproject.com/articles_archive/Australian_Essential_Oils.html

•

SOLUBILITY ~ German Chamomile is soluble in 90-95% alcohol. Roman Chamomile is soluble in 7-10 volumes of 70% alcohol. It helps to always have on hand organic high proof alcohol in which to dissolve your oils or to use in perfumery. See https://organicalcohol.com/

•

Fig. 10. https://jeanne-blog.com/chamomile-roman-eo-profile/

∞

QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED ~ These are the simple answers to certain questions that were asked and answered above in longer terms.

Are all blue oils anti-inflammatory? YES because of the content of azulene and bisabolol.
Do blue oils oxidize faster than other oils? YES, they seem too – remember to keep them in the freezer.
If I am making a blend with blue oils how should I preserve them? MAKE SMALL AMOUNTS, USE IT UP, AND THEN MAKE AGAIN.
How long before they turn green or brown? DEPENDS ON HOW THEY ARE CARED FOR IN THE BEGINNING
Are they still good once they turn green? NO, this means they are oxidizing.
Why are some distillations a darker blue than other distillations of the same oil? DEPENDS ON THE ATTENTION OF THE DISTILLER AND HOW CAREFUL THEY ARE WITH THE HARVEST; WHAT PART OF THE PLANT IS HARVESTED AND THE DISTILLING PROCESS. It also depends upon the amount of flowers to green tops.

Distiller = the person doing the distillation; Still = the object used to distill

Can there be allergic or skin reactions to chamazulene? THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF ALLERGIC RESPONSE TO AZULENE AND TO PLANTS CONTAINING MATRICINE
Are blue oils good for compromised skin conditions? DEPENDS ON THE BLUE OIL, SOME HAVE BEEN USED FOR SKIN CANCER such as Artemisia arborescens from Morocco because of the thujone content and A. arborescens from Oregon which has no thujone, it has camphor).
Are they safe to use on children? Roman Chamomile can be used, VERY DILUTED IN SMALL AMOUNTS, plant tea is recommended to being used first.

Fig. 11. Spring tea from annual Chamomile, Matricaria chamomille (JR photo 2010)

§
END OF PART I OF The Blue Oils

Part 2 will include properties, uses, how to use the oil, chemistry, Blue oil tomato tales, history, references, precautions, blending and formulas for health and well-being and references.

************************************************************

Fig. 12.

Rising Up

GOURMET PERFUMERY

Mar10

GOURMET PERFUMERY

Synopsis: Perfumes for one with refined tastes who enjoys fine scent, food and drink.
Discussed are formulas with essences that smell like food.

Introduction Gourmet Perfumery

When I first thought about writing about the edible and umami stimulating essential oils and scents and calling it gourmet perfumery, I was confused about the true meaning of the words gourmand and gourmet. Since I do own the 22-volume set of The Oxford English Dictionary, it felt correct to first give a definition of what I would discuss.

According to the Oxford, A Gourmet is someone who is a “connoisseur in the delicacies of the table” and in our scent-world one who is a “connoisseur of scent” while a Gourmand is a “glutton, greedy, fond of eating and eats to excess” and for scent collectors “one who uses to excess the natural scents of the plant world”.

Sometimes one sees the words gourmet and gourmand used interchangeably, though more properly gourmand carries a connotation of gluttony and gourmet is knowledgeable enjoyment.

The Gourmet Scents – Part 1

See Part 1 for the Gourmet Scents Used for the Gourmet Perfumer

https://jeanne-blog.com/gourmet-scents-gourmet-perfumer/

It is with pleasure that I acknowledge Eden Botanicals as asking me to think about writing about these particular scents that have an edible connotation and also sending me their selection. I had already in my library of scents, old and older samples that I could also look at and smell. These are the ones that were discussed and are now being used in the perfumery section:

Bitter Almond ~ extracted for the benzaldehyde that is used extensively in seasonings, cosmetics like Jergen’s Lotion or Lush Cosmetics, bitter Almond extract used in cookies;
Butter ~ for a lovely and oily, fatty scent that goes well with florals;
Cacao ~ Chocolate, who doesn’t love it? And in perfumery it is priceless;
Coffee ~ stimulating drink, a wonderful component of many desserts and a great addition to perfumery for a stimulating scent;
Cognac ~ from the lees of cognac making, a fixative in perfumery with a sweet to sour scent and tenacity in the perfume;
Ginger root ~ whether steam-distilled or CO₂extracted is a spicy addition to any blend;
Tobacco absolute from leaves ~ smoky and warm scent (without the obnoxious smoke) goes well in a warm, darkened environment while you savor pastry and acts as a tenacious back note and a fixative; and
Vanilla ~ the ultimate dessert flavor and umami-provoking scent.

The Gourmet Perfumery – Part 2

Perfumery That Smells Like Food

What is Natural (Botanical) Perfumery? It is the use of scent from plant materials for personal fragrance. It really is as simple as that. It is an aromatic art and a fine craft that uses the pure, essences of plants extracted from plants, the use of botanical extracts, essential oils, absolutes or tinctures (and for some natural animal essences) to scent the body. Natural Botanical Perfumery relies solely on plants as their scent source and the scent sources are whole and not isolates. Natural Perfumery refers to making perfume without using synthetic aroma materials.

Ways to Obtain Natural Botanical Gourmet Perfumery Ingredients.

There are several different types of natural Botanical Perfumery ingredients and these can be obtained by several different methods:

ABSOLUTES are prepared perfume materials obtained by solvent-extraction from plants, usually delicate flowers that would be harmed by distillation. They are alcohol-soluble and often oil-soluble. They are liquid but sometimes solid or semi-solid. Absolutes are obtained by alcohol-extraction of concrètes and other types of extracts. During the preparation of absolutes, most terpenes, waxes, and most odorless matter is eliminated but often collected elsewhere as another product.

Concretes, CO₂, Totals are obtained by solvent-extraction from plant material, or by CO₂extraction_,they are solid or semi-solid and are good for solid perfumes. They often represent the full scent of the plant material. They yield tinctures (alcohol & essential scent) and the essential plant wax. Often, their uses can also be included in herbalism.

See https://jeanne-blog.com/co2-extracts-perfumery-skin-care/

EtOH is ethyl alcohol; it can be made from grain (wheat, rye, millet, rice or corn) sugar cane, or grape. It is called neutral grain or grape spirits and is used as a diluent for complex natural perfumes. For proper dilution, the perfumer should use 95% neutral spirits. Lower percentages often do not dissolve the perfume ingredients. And neutral spirits are defined as un-flavored, unscented alcohol of 95 percent, or 190° proof, obtained chiefly from grain or grape.

What does proof mean? 50% or 100° means the proof required by the British Royal Navy, the benchmark strength, at which a spirit could be spilt on gunpowder and it would still ignite. In perfumery, you will want to use 95% neutral spirits, particularly neutral grape spirits as the scent is fruity and distinctive in a nicely aged perfume.

There has been some discussion about alcohol for use in tinctures and in perfumery. It is good to remember that 95% alcohol is a preservative while 70-80% alcohol extracts the plant properties. In biology, specimens are put up into increasing stronger alcohol until they are in 95% alcohol. Alcohol is hydrophilic. It attracts water. In addition, there is a difference in how 95% neutral grain spirits or 95% neutral grape spirits or 95% copper-distilled neutral grape spirits is used. Grain spirits is made from grain; wheat, rye, barley, etc. and is useful in tincturing. Grape spirits are made from grape and so has a fruit overtone that is useful in perfumery. Copper-distilled neutral grape spirits are the base of eau de vie and brandy, has a sweet, fruit overtone, and is great in perfumery. A family owned company that double distills organically grown plants in stainless steel is www.alcsol.com. They sell neutral grape and neutral grain spirits. Also, proof ° is different from percent %. Proof is another way of discussing the strength of the alcohol. Alcohol is hydrophilic and can only be made up to 96% or 192°. Proof is always twice the alcohol number. It is a great word to look up in the dictionary. Look at all your wine bottles and liquor bottles – you will see both proof and % listed.

In BIOLOGY ~ to preserve specimens they are put up into increasing stronger alcohol from 60% until they are in 95% alcohol. Alcohol is hydrophilic. It attracts water. Thus, as you move the specimen from a lower percentage to a higher percentage, it increasingly removes the fluid from the specimen and the specimen cells stay in a condition that can be studied. If you dropped the specimen into straight alcohol, it would deform it and make it impossible to study. It is somewhat the same with using alcohol to extract scent from a flower – although you often start with 95% and stay with it as the extract that you reuse over and over actually drops in percentage as it extracts the cellular water from the plant.

In PERFUMERY ~ In perfumery, one uses 85% to 95% neutral grain spirits or 95% neutral grape spirits or 95% copper-distilled neutral grape spirits. You want to dilute the perfume item to use it but not substantially change it. Neutral grain and neutral grape spirits are both ethyl alcohol. Perfume items will not dissolve in alcohol that is less than 85%-95% and you should not use wood alcohol or methyl alcohol or rectified alcohol for your fine perfume items. Also, once alcohol is added to a perfume or a single item, it should be aged for a minimum of 3 months – this is what I learned from my distillation mentor who was a fine cognac/brandy maker; that this technique of aging fine spirits would also work for fine perfumery. This way all components of the perfume or single fragrant item have a chance to be totally integrated.

Essential Oils are steam distilled and are EtOH (alcohol) and oil-soluble.

Floral Waxes, Beeswax will need to be heated to be used. Floral waxes are obtained from natural plants, solvent extracted to form the concrète, which is then separated into the absolutes and plant/floral waxes. Beeswax is collected and made by bees.

TINCTURES OR PERFUME TINCTURES. Perfume tinctures are different than medicinal tinctures, as only the scent is desired. Flowers without the calyx (green parts) are put in a jar and a spirit of 80-95% pure ethanol is added. The jar is left to stand for 1-or 3 days as long as the flower is producing scent, shaken occasionally. The spirit is then poured onto another jar filled with flowers and on and on. This is continued until the alcohol has taken on the scent (and usually) and color of the flowers. It will take a season of the flowers to produce the perfume tincture. This is then refrigerated until the alcohol is perfectly clear. Then the clear scented alcohol is removed by decanting or by pouring or using a pipette. The flowers that are left in the jar can be used in the bath or placed in a muslin bag, pressed, and any liquid left can be used in a cream as both a scent and a preservative.

TURBO DISTILLATION EXTRACTION – Turbo distillation is suitable for hard-to-extract or coarse plant material, such as bark, roots, and seeds. In this process, the plants soak in the water mixture to start the breakdown process of the plant (water maceration) and then steam is circulated through this plant and water mixture. Throughout the entire process, the same water is continually recycled (cohobated) through the plant material (cohobation). This method allows faster extraction of the Essential Oil from the hard-to-extract sources. —Natural Perfumery Workbook by Jeanne Rose

GOURMET PERFUMERY

You Will Need To Know A Few Definitions.

Bases ~ Instead of building a perfume from the ‘ground up’, many perfumers make and use a premade base or fragrance bases for their perfumes and colognes. Also called simply a base scent. Each base is essentially a simple or modular scent that is blended from two of your essential oils or aromatics and formulated with a simple concept in mind such as fatty floral (butter + Jasmine) or spice (Juniperus virginiana + Clove). A base is not the same as a base note and you should use only 2 or no more than 3 scents to make it. A base is the basic building block of a perfume. Make it, name it, label it and store in your scent library for further use. If you maintain a collection of bases, then you will always be prepared to make a new scent.

A collection of bases is kept because the combination can be reused, or to pre-age ingredients that are difficult or overpowering and when premade can be more easily used as the foundation of a new scent; you can combine multiple known bases to make a new accord.

Try making a Rondeletia base using only Lavender and Sandalwood. Make several using different types of Lavender and different species of Sandalwood to see the differences.

See page 12 of book III of the Natural Perfumery Workbook for more detailed information.

Accord ~ A perfume accord is a balanced blend or synergy of notes which will lose their individual identity to create something new, a new odor. It can be composed of 2-3 of your Bases. An accord is not to be confused with a Family of Odors nor with a harmonious completed note. Also, keep a collection of premade accords so that your perfume will be ready to use sooner rather than later.

Family or Perfume Families ~ There are 7-8 main groups of perfumery-making called perfume families. Within each of these families are 7 separate accords that you can make. I will only list the perfume families as the entire chart is listed in “Natural Perfumery Workbook”. Just as in the Vocabulary of Odors©, each family of odors corresponds to a perfume family: Floral, Fruity, Citrus, Fern/Green, Woody, Herbal, and Spicy/Oriental. The other family that I like to work with is Leather or Chypre.

As an example, in the large Floral Family that includes the separate odors of floral, powder, honey, oily/musk scents; this family contains perfumes whose main accords are floral such as Jasmine, Rose, Tuberose, Osmanthus and the accords can be called 1. Floral

floral; 2. Fruity floral; 3. Citrus floral; 4. Green floral with Violet leaf, 5. Floral woods with Atlas Cedar; 6. Herbal floral with Lavender; and 7. Spicy floral combinations.

Notes ~

Notes. This is a word that is borrowed from the language of music to indicate an olfactory impression of a single smell, or to indicate three distinct periods in the evaporation of a perfume – top note, middle or heart note, bottom note. I have gone further and identified the parts of the perfume in musical thought as well with the help of jazz bassist Ron McClure.

Top Note – ▲ These are the ‘Trills or Variations’ of the perfume and make up to 5-20% of the total perfume. They are often the most volatile of the scent, one that is perceived for only about 30 minutes after application. In music variation it is a way of organizing a piece of music by taking a tune (a theme or melody) and then repeating it in several different ways. It is often called Theme and Variations. The same is true in perfumery.

Heart Note – ♥ The ‘Melody’ of the perfume. The melody is the single phrase or motif of the perfume, the tune, voice, or line, and is a succession of musical tones, which can be identified as a single entity and make up 20-30% of the perfume. And in perfumery the same is true, a single family or accord that is basic. What it is, the scent that you want it to be on your skin for the longest time; it is the principle part and determines the character of the perfume. The Heart note is the recognizable tune; I call it, the ‘Melody’ of the perfume.

Base Note – ■ I call the Base note, the ‘Beat’ of the perfume. In music, a beat is the basic time-unit of a piece of music; for example, each tick sounded by a metronome would correspond to a beat. The base note makes up anywhere from 5-20% of a perfume. A base note is a class of odorants that evaporate very slowly and are typically not perceived until the perfume dry(s)-down. Base notes are fixative and ‘hold’ the scent in place. These notes are often not very volatile and are also often incorporated into the Base Accord. It is the beat or ‘drum Beat’ of the Perfume.

More parts of the gourmet perfumery

Bridge Notes or Accessory notes ∩ ~ These scents tie everything together, they are the theme, ‘the Timing’ of the scent or what supports the scent. They take you from one note to another like flower to leaf or leaf to root or “across the water from the city to the country”). They are usually only about 10% or less of the total weight of the perfume complex.

You can also use other Accessory notes. These are intensely-scented aromatics that are used to add freshness, lift, or modernity to a blend, or to highlight a main note. They are typically used in very small amounts so that they don’t overpower the other aromatics in a blend. (Birch tar which is a heavy smoky scent or Kewda, Pandanus odoratissimus, which was described once as smelling like a combination of Horse Radish and Gardenia, are examples.)

Fixative ※ is an old term for any natural substance that will hold and ‘fix’ and that ‘Gives long life’ to a perfume and that helps a fragrance last longer on the skin. Alcohol-based scents are fleeting, so you want to add something to help ‘anchor’ or ‘fix’ the scent. Lowering the evaporation rate of the alcohol with a ‘tenacious’ scent usually does this and gives long life to a scent. Fixatives are ambergris, civet, Labdanum, Africa Stone and more. The fixatives can be part of the alcohol diluent or part of the base Accord or base-note. Fixatives notes are deep and complex. In the past fixative notes were the animal part of the finished perfume but are now often mineralized animal products such as Africa Stone or tinctures of odd deep and sometimes unpleasant odors that when used in small amounts fix the scent. See page 97 in 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols or Natural Botanical Perfumery for the vegetable perfume fixatives.

Gourmet Perfumery

A Perfume is three notes, the top, the heart, and the base, with a bridge or two and a fixative to complete it. The notes may be made with your pre-made bases or accords and to which you will just add something to change it from what it was to what it is now.

BASIC PERFUME — Making a Perfume substance for topical application is to make something that smells good on you, that has no obvious medicinal value, but may have emotional or sexual value, and will usually be composed of the connections between the notes of Top — Heart — Base plus the addition of Bridge notes to connect.

Make it @ 17%-25% or so, that is, up to 25% of the total is natural perfume ingredients and to which you add ethyl alcohol. Cologne is 15% or so natural ingredients with 85% alcohol. Please remember that we always start with 95% neutral spirits (ethyl alcohol). I am personally not a fan of using carrier oils or Jojoba liquid wax or Coconut oil to dilute a perfume. They are prone to oxidizing and thus limit the life of the perfume.

Askinson said,

“It is not the number of oils that determines the fineness of a perfume,

but the manner in which certain odors are combined.” … 1865

The Delicious Accord

3 C’s of Craft Perfumery ~ Cardamom, Coffee and Cocoa

Gourmet Perfumery

Cocoa and Coffee will be thick and viscous and needs to be pre-diluted 50•50 with your perfume alcohol (95% neutral grape spirits) to get it liquid enough to measure. So, when you use them to remember that it is pre-diluted, and you can accommodate your formula ahead of time. They are also slow to dissolve into the alcohol. If the math confuses you, pre-dilute everything 50•50 with your spirits ahead of time and then you can add drops and the drops will be the same volume (not necessarily the same weight). If you are making large quantities always measure by weight on a quality digital scale.

Jeanne Rose Tomato >Tales of the Gourmet Perfumery

Make a base (not a base note) of Chocolate and Vanilla, call it CocoVan. See page 12 of Part 3 of The Natural Perfumery Workbook for details.

A base is a building block of a perfume. Base or Bases is not a base note — Instead of building a perfume from “ground up”, use your premade fragrance base or simply called a base, named and stored for future use. Each base is essentially a 2-part modular perfume that is blended from essential oils and extracts and formulated with a simple concept such as “cut grass” or “sour apple” “spiced Coffee”.

Of the Chocolate + Vanilla bases that I had, I chose bottle 4, with 4 parts of Vanilla and 6 parts of Chocolate. This particular bottle I called Coco #4 and used it as part of my Breakfast Accord by adding to it an equal amount of Butter CO₂ and Coffee CO₂. Now I had the foundation of my Base note with this Bases Note that I could age for a week or so while I decided on my Top and Heart note. I added Tobacco to the Breakfast Accord to call it now “1950 Breakfast Bases Note”.

I decided on a Citrus citrus top note and a Floral Jasmine Heart note.

The Top note was a common combination of Bergamot and white Grapefruit with attending scents of Yuzu and Lemon;

the Heart note was Champa, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang Extra, smoky Osmanthus and high-elevation Lavender.

An added bridge of Labdanum on one end and Birch tar on the other end and

The Base Note was made with the base and accord as listed plus Tobacco

a Fixative of ambergris completed my “Breakfast in Paris Perfume”. Oh, my! I am ready to roll now.

Three weeks later after aging these separately the pre-made notes and accords were ready to be diluted with 95% neutral grape spirits. I made it 1-part natural perfume ingredients with 3-parts of the grape spirits or 25% to 75%. And let it age again.

Here is the formula: Breakfast in Paris Perfume

This was my general perfume, but you can use whatever amounts that you wish here in the final combining of notes. Every combination will have a different odor.

References:
The Oxford English Dictionary
EdenBotanicals.com
Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Frog, Ltd. 1999
Rose, Jeanne. Natural Botanical Perfumery. 2015 edition from /books.html

Bibliography for Advanced Perfumery:
Anonis, Danute Pajaujis: Flower Oils and Floral Compounds in Perfumery, Perfumer and Flavorist. 1993.
Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin
Barillé, Elisabeth and Catherine Laroze. The Book of Perfumery. Flammarion Press. 1995
Calkin, Robert R. and J. Stephan Jellinek. Perfumery Practice and Principles, Wiley Interscience, 1994.
Edwards, Michael. Perfume Legends, 1996.
Gaborit, Jean-Yves. Perfumes The Essences and Their Bottles. Rizzoli, New York. 1985.
Guenther, Ernest: The Essential Oils, volumes I-VI, Krieger. 1949.
Mabberley, D. J. The Plant Book
McMahon, Christopher. AROMAtherapy 2037, Fall 97. “Tuberose Treasure”
———. AROMAtherapy 2037, Summer 97. “Extraction of Floral Concretes”
Ohloff, Günther: Scent and Fragrances, Springer-Verlag 1990. Translated by Pickenhagen and Lawrence
Pavia, Fabienne. The World of Perfume. 1995
Piesse, G. W. Septimus. The Art of Perfumery. 1867
Rose, Jeanne: 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols; Frog, Ltd. 1999.
——— . AROMAtherapy 2037. Winter 1997/98
———. The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations 1996.
———. The World of Aromatherapy, 1996.
———Herbs & Things, Last Gasp. 2002
Thompson, C. J. S. The Mystery and Lure of Perfume. Lippincott. 1927.
Williams, David G.: The Chemistry of Essential Oils, Micelle Press. 1996.

Patch Test: If applying a new essential oil to your skin always perform a patch test to the inner arm (after you have diluted the EO in a vegetable carrier oil). —Wash an area of your forearm about the size of a quarter and dry carefully. Apply a diluted drop (1 drop EO + 1 drop carrier) to the area. Then apply a loose Band-Aid and wait 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then go ahead and use the oil in your formulas. —The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations, p. 64

DO NOT INGEST ESSENTIAL OILS OR ABSOLUTES OR THE CO2. Although some essential oils are important flavoring oils in the flavor industry and thus ingested in very small minute amounts in many foods, especially meats and sausages, it is not a good idea to use them yourself either in capsules or honey to take internally.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol should be specifically distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil, or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

Safety Precautions: Do not apply the essential oil neat, especially to the underarms or delicate parts of the body. Most oils are probably not to be used on babies, children or pregnant women. Many aromatherapist suggest that there are some oils not be used at all. However, as with many plants, essential oil chemistry is subject to change depending on species and terroir.

DISCLAIMER: This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that is a matter between you and your health care provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor. The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies – Jeanne Rose©

Moderation in All Things.

Be moderate in your use of essential oils as they are just not sustainable for the environment.
Be selective and more moderate in your usage.
Use the herb first as tea or the infusion. —JeanneRose 2014

Gourmet Scents for the Gourmet Perfumer

Feb23

Gourmet Scents for the Gourmet Perfumer

Synopsis: for someone with refined tastes who enjoys fine scent, food and drink. Discussed are Bitter Almond, Cacao, Coffee, Cognac, Ginger root, Vanilla and even Tobacco.

Photo by Jeanne Rose

When I first thought about writing about the edible and umami stimulating essential oils and scents, I was confused about the true meaning of the words gourmand and gourmet. Since I do own the 22-volume set of The Oxford English Dictionary, it felt correct to first give a definition of what I would discuss.

According to the Oxford, A Gourmet is someone who is a “connoisseur in the delicacies of the table” and in our scent-world one who is a connoisseur of scent; while a Gourmand is a “glutton, greedy, fond of eating and eats to excess” and for scent collectors one who uses excessively, the natural scents of the plant world.

Sometimes one sees the words gourmet and gourmand used interchangeably, though more properly gourmand carries a connotation of gluttony and gourmet is knowledgeable enjoyment.

It is with pleasure that I acknowledge Eden Botanicals, asking me to think about writing about these particular scents that have an edible connotation and also sending me their wonderful selections to work with. I had already in my library of scents, old and older samples that I could also look at and smell. Hopefully, you will support my blog posts by also supporting their product.

These are the ones I am discussing in this article: Bitter Almond ~ extracted for the benzaldehyde that is used extensively in seasonings, bitter Almond extract used in cookies; Butter ~ for a lovely, oily and fatty scent that goes well with florals; Cacao ~ Chocolate, who doesn’t love it?; Coffee ~ stimulating drink, wonderful component of many desserts; Cognac ~ from the lees of cognac making, a fixative in perfumery with a sweet to sour scent and tenacity in the perfume; Ginger root ~ whether steam-distilled or CO₂extracted is a spicy addition to any blend; Tobacco absolute from leaves ~ smoky and warm and the scent (without the smoke) goes well in a warm, darkened environment while you savor sweet pastry and that vanilla-oaky scented bourbon and it acts as a tenacious back note and a fixative; and Vanilla ~ the ultimate dessert flavor and perfume component.

The Gourmet Scents – Part 1

See Part 2 for Gourmet Perfumery

Bitter Almond ~ Prunus dulcis var. amara fruits/kernels of the family Rosaceae are always bitter, as are the kernels from other species of genus Prunus, such as apricot, peach and cherry (although to a lesser extent). All Almonds are in bloom right about the end of February and here in California the Almond orchards are alive with the soft scent and pale pink color of the blossoms.

“The Bitter Almond is rather broader and shorter than the sweet Almond, and contains about 50% of the fixed oil, which also occurs in sweet Almonds. It also contains a ferment emulsion which, in the presence of water, acts on a soluble glucoside, amygdalin, glucose, cyanide and the essential oil of bitter almonds or benzaldehyde. Bitter almonds may yield from 6 to 8% of prussic acid (also known as hydrogen cyanide). Extract of Bitter Almond was once used medicinally “but even in small doses it has severe consequences and in larger doses can be deadly; the prussic acid must be removed before consumption”. —Wikipedia

Eden Botanicals Bitter Almond is steam distilled from the crushed and pressed kernels of the Apricot fruit, then rectified to remove the toxic prussic acid. The scent is nutty, very intense and is used in small amounts in perfumery, especially with Butter CO_2, Cocoa, Coffee, Tobacco and florals. It is very intense and tenacious in a scent and should be pre-diluted with high-proof perfumers alcohol (95% neutral grape spirits) at least by half before use. Add a drop at a time, and age before deciding to add more.

DO NOT INGEST IN ANY WAY

Butter CO₂~ Sometimes called Butyrum (butter), it is extracted from milk fat, and has had all water content removed. A small amount of Rosemary antioxidant is added for shelf life stability. This is an oily/fatty smelling product that is buttery and creamy, and Eden Botanicals say that “… it can trigger olfactory memories of buttered popcorn and movie theatres”. In perfumery, it can be used in the base note or the fixative note of your blend. When used, the dry-down in a perfume will leave a fatty note that is desirable in floral odors. This is one of my favorite additions to floral perfumes especially to those flowers with thick petals like Jasmine, Tuberose or Osmanthus. I also have made a delicious smelling accord that I call Breakfast with the CO₂of Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla and Butter — it is just fantastic.

Cacao or Cocoa Absolute (Theobroma cacao) ~ from the seeds of the cacao or cocoa plant, solvent-extracted in France. This is a pale-yellow, pure edible vegetable fat extracted from the cacao bean. It is used to make chocolate, pharmaceuticals, ointments, and toiletries. Cocoa butter has a mild chocolate flavor and rich aroma. It is used to thicken oily products or in perfumery as a fixative for floral odors. In my experience, if you are a younger person, especially female, as men are attracted to this odor and to the persons who use these gourmet scents, when they smell like a delicious food stuff.

Chocolate contains methyl xanthine and not specifically caffeine; the xanthine in Chocolate is called theobromine which is NOT the same as caffeine. Both caffeine and theobromine are diuretics; however, theobromine mainly acts as a smooth muscle relaxant and slight cardiac stimulant. While these two compounds of caffeine and theobromine have similar effects, the key difference is that caffeine has an effect on the central nervous system and theobromine most significantly affects smooth muscle.

In Eden Botanicals Cocoa/Cacao Absolute the content of methyl xanthine is reported as follows: “Our regulatory department is saying there’s both caffeine and theobromine in the product you purchase. The lab checked the COAs for the past several lots and caffeine falls in between 2.3-2.6% consistently. Theobromine content is 0 – 0.640%.”

Cocoa absolute is soluble in alcohol and only partially soluble in fixed, that is, vegetable oils. It is just wonderful in perfumery, with the other edible scented oils and the florals.

Coffee taxonomy ~ Coffee is a member of the Rubiaceae or Madder family. Coffee is by far the most economically important species, but a number of ornamentals derive from the family. Of the 25-100 species in the genus Coffea (the number is still debated), two main species are used in production: C. arabica L., generally called “arabica” coffee, and C. canephora Pierre ex Froehner, also called “robusta” coffee. About 70% of the world’s coffee is derived from C. arabica, considered to have higher quality than robusta.

There is an excellent discussion of the Coffee odor and fragrance, read it and other oils at http://www.bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils09/EssentialOils09.htm

Coffee Bean Butter ~ Hydrogenating the cold pressed oil from roasted coffee beans (Coffea arabica) with other vegetable oils produces the coffee butter. It has good oxidative stability and feels silky smooth. One Internet site says this, “Coffee bean Butter has a pleasant appearance and the mild, fragrant aroma of fresh roasted coffee. … Coffee Butter offers high oxidative stability (a lower linoleic content) and has an exceptionally smooth and elegant skin feel and spreads well making it ideal as a body butter or balm. May be used in cosmetics, toiletries, soaps, massage oils & balms, hair care and sun care preparations.” —UCLA paper on a Mighty Methyl group.

In my personal experience I do not have much desire to use the butter and smell like a cup of coffee all day.

Coffee bean CO₂~ Coffea arabica from India is available by CO₂extraction from the bean and appears non-toxic. It has the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee and is used in perfumery, often to add to ‘leather’ notes. A very interesting addition to your perfume armentarium.

Coffee Synthetic ~ With the availability of natural Coffee odor why would you want a synthetic? Synthetic aromas have become so ubiquitous that people consider them environmental odor hazards.

Cognac ~ Oil of Cognac is distilled from the wine lees of the cognac barrel from Vitis vinifera grapes. (From The Volatile Oils by Gildemeister and Hoffman, 1900 – an excellent reference book). In this book, it is the oil captured from the lees in the barrel that was used to age cognac.

Origins and Preparation. The specific aroma, peculiar to wine and cognac is produced by fusel oil. [Fusel is a from a German word meaning bad liquor.] It is also called oil of Cognac and is a product of the fermentation action of wine yeast and is principally found in the yeast deposited from the wine on the bottom of the barrel after completion of the fermentation process. The wine itself contains only tiny amounts of it in solution, namely 1 part of oil in 40,000 parts of wine. The yeast cakes that remain after the liquid is pressed out are used for the preparation of this product, oil of Cognac.

The oil collected in the receiver floats on top of the alcohol containing water, from which further amounts of oil can be obtained by cohobation. Oil of Cognac I have found possesses a strong, unpleasant ‘repugnant’ odor, which is offensive in the undiluted state. The odor of the Green Cognac however is quite pleasant. Every year, the wine quality and taste subtly change depending on climate, origin, and soil, its terroir, and the green Cognac oil which is produced in Romania is considered drier in scent and in my nose sweeter like a Tokay. White Cognac essential oil has a fruity character, often somewhat buttery and oily.

Cognac Oil can be used in very small amounts to add a bright lift and a fresh odor to many types of perfume.

My distillation mentor was Hubert Germain-Robin, a many-generations cognac family, and the brandy he made in California was authentic and complex. The brandy was made from California grapes with a still that Hubert found in an abandoned distillery in Cognac, France. And his style of a Cognac, was a ripe, brandy with scent of with dark fruits, fudge and toffee, and a very spicy complexity. I loved it.

[Cognac = wine that is made by the fermentation process, then distilled to make clear or white cognac, then diluted with water to a certain percentage, and then aged in oak = voila! Cognac.]

Ginger Root SD or Ginger root CO₂ Extract (Total) ~ (Zingiber officinale). The root/rhizome of the Ginger plant is used in herbalism and the scent in aromatherapy and perfumery. This plant of the Zingiberaceae family also includes the Cardamom (pods), Galangal (root), Ginger Lily (root and flower) and Turmeric (root) plants. All live in tropical and subtropical areas.

Ginger root is an herbaceous perennial, about 3 feet tall and reed-like, whose rhizomes (often just called root but are really underground stems) are used; gathered when the reed-like top withers, this enlarged rhizome is scalded or washed and scraped to prevent it from sprouting. These ‘roots’ produce a potent and fragrant spice that is used in the kitchen, in Asian cooking and is used in herbal medicine as a sialagogue (makes your mouth water) and with Chile pods to make you perspire. Its flavor is lemon and balsamic and its taste is medium hot. Slices are decocted (boiled) and with honey added, it makes a hot spicy tea or is candied to make a condiment. These are often used to treat a cold.

Ginger science (on the rhizome not the EO) concludes that the health-promoting perspectives of ginger are well known. “It can treat a wide range of diseases via immuno-nutrition and anti-inflammatory responses. As a result of anti-inflammatory effect of ginger, it can reduce muscle pain after intense physical activity. Likewise, the anticancer potential of ginger is well documented and its functional ingredients like gingerols, shogaol, and paradols are the valuable ingredients which can prevent various cancers, angiogenesis and metastasis, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of cell-cycle progression. Besides these, it improves cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, and gastrointestinal health.” — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/

The CO₂and the total extract are dark and potent and more like the root in nature including the ‘bite’ when ingested. The extract is true to the warmth and spice of fresh Ginger root. The scent of both is warm with a spicy, green and herbaceous odor and very good in all sorts of perfume combinations. A wonderful perfumery item to learn to use. The essential oil of Ginger does not have the dark color nor irritating bite as does the herb or extract and can be taken — 1-2 drops in Ginger ale for nausea. It is a pleasant addition to a drink. The Ginger extract and EO should be used in moderation in a perfume as it is a strong spicy addition to the scent and has the ability to ‘take over’ the entire scent.

Tobacco leaf abs ~ Solvent-extracted or alcohol-extracted from Tobacco leaves in France or Bulgaria (Nicotiana sp.), Tobacco ABSolute goes well with many things. There is no nicotine in the absolute and it is both alcohol and slightly oil-soluble. It has a spicy, fruity, green, floral and rich smoky scent. You can make it smokier with Birch tar or Labdanum or Africa Stone and these will give you a leather accord or scent. You can sweeten up its smoky scent with resins such as Labdanum and Benzoin, Styrax works well also and you can make it spicy with Allspice berry, Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg and others. You can dry out its smoky sweetness with the wood of Juniperus virginiana, make it more floral and fruity with the Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica) and give it an earthy odor with Vetivert (Chrysopogon zizanioides). Turn it into a smoky fashionable model with a tart citrus like Bergamot, Grapefruit or Petitgrain. This is a scent that can be really sexy with a floral fix like Jasmin and all-in-all it is a fun substance to create perfume. Try making a ‘1950 Cocktail Lounge’ Accord with it.

Tobacco leaf courtesy of www.persephenie.com

Vanilla pod or Vanilla Bourbon pod CO₂ or Vanilla Bourbon organic ~ Vanilla planifolia of the family Orchidaceae. Vanilla is the only species of Orchid that is extracted, distilled or used in aromatherapy or foodstuff. The plant is indigenous to Mexico and tropical America and is now grown in many places including Madagascar and the island of Réunion.

The CO₂ is a creamy substance extracted with carbon dioxide with the true floral, woody, fruity, lovely Vanilla odor, it is pale yellow to tan, has a shelf life of about 3 years. This can be used as a flavoring agent as well as in solid perfumes. It is just lovely especially in a foodie perfume with Coffee and Cacao CO₂ and Raspberry, Ginger, Cardamom and Butter CO₂’s.

The Vanilla ABS has the best and strongest scent and this dark brown viscous product makes an excellent addition to many perfumes. It is alcohol-soluble, but portions of the absolute will settle out of the perfume and the perfume will have to be aged and then filtered or decanted.

For more information on Vanilla please read the blog post on CO₂and the one on Vanilla. The link is in the reference section that follows.

References:
The Oxford English Dictionary
EdenBotanicals.com
Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Frog, Ltd. 1999
Rose, Jeanne. Natural Botanical Perfumery. 2015 edition
https://vinepair.com/buy-this-booze/best-american-brandy/
http://www.bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils09/EssentialOils09.htm
https://jeanne-blog.com/vanilla-profile/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/
https://jeanne-blog.com/co2-extracts-perfumery-skin-care/

Patch Test: If applying a new essential oil to your skin always perform a patch test to the inner arm (after you have diluted the EO in a vegetable carrier oil). —Wash an area of your forearm about the size of a quarter and dry carefully. Apply a diluted drop (1 drop EO + 1 drop carrier) to the area. Then apply a loose Band-Aid and wait 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then go ahead and use the oil in your formulas. —The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations, p. 64

DO NOT INGEST ESSENTIAL OILS OR ABSOLUTES OR THE CO2. Although some essential oils are important flavoring oils in the flavor industry and thus ingested in very small minute amounts in many foods, especially meats and sausages, it is not a good idea to use them yourself either in capsules or honey to take internally.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol should be specifically distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil, or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

Safety Precautions: Do not apply the essential oil neat, especially to the underarms or delicate parts of the body. Most oils are probably not to be used on babies, children or pregnant women. Many aromatherapist suggest that there are some oils not be used at all. However, as with many plants, essential oil chemistry is subject to change depending on species and terroir.

DISCLAIMER: This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that is a matter between you and your health care provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor. The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies – Jeanne Rose©

Comments: I want to thank Eden Botanicals for their ongoing assistance to provide the new essential oils for these essential oil blog posts as well as their support to provide better information for the entire aromatherapy community.

Ryan Drum having a bite of Chocolate

Moderation in All Things.

CO2 EXTRACT

Jan28

CO₂EXTRACTS for Perfumery & Skin Care

A Compilation of Data

Synopsis: CO2 Extract (Carbon dioxide extracts) are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the botanical plant than those obtained by other techniques. Best as a flavor and wonderful perfume ingredient: no solvent residue, no off notes, more top notes, more back note, and better solubility.

11 selected CO₂Extracts Courtesy Eden Botanicals

5 more CO₂Extract

CO2 Extract are another way for humans to ‘get’ the scent out of a plant. The more traditional way is to steam, or water distill or to extract via solvents. But CO₂ extraction tries to capture as much of the scent as possible as well as some of the plant compounds from natural material by using a natural substance, carbon dioxide, to make a completely natural scent and flavor. The CO₂extract is also called supercritical CO₂ extraction and this process has many benefits over the traditional distillation processes. It is “supercritical” as the carbon dioxide has liquid properties while remaining in a gaseous state.

When choosing a scent whether a standard steam-distilled essential oil or other process, the way it is processed should be considered. Carbon dioxide extracts, CO₂, Extact are extremely pure and can be used in herbal medicine as well as aromatherapy and natural perfumery.

As David Moyler says, “they more closely resemble the aroma and taste of the botanical starting material than the steam distilled equivalent.” These carbon dioxide extracts, CO_2,are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the botanical plant than those obtained by other techniques. Best as a flavor and fragrance ingredient: no solvent residue, no off notes, more top notes, more back note, and better solubility.

CO₂ extraction also aims to capture as much of the scent as possible from a natural material.

“This technology uses carbon dioxide, which turns to a liquid at high pressure, and passes it over the natural material to extract all the scent components without damaging them. “

“CO2 extracts express nature like no other extract,” says Bakouche. “They offer some facets that don’t exist in essential oils or absolutes — where the molecules are damaged or burned away.”⁴

In CO2 Extracts, during steam distillation, many artefacts are produced that do not occur in the natural botanical and can be easily detected even by simple odor evaluation. Essential oils have traditionally been obtained using either steam or hydro distillation or extracted using chemical solvents such as hexane, heptane or ethanol.

How Is CO2 Extract Done:

The CO₂ extraction process consists of pumping pressurized carbon dioxide into an airtight chamber filled with plant matter. When carbon dioxide is subjected to pressure it becomes “supercritical” and has liquid properties while remaining in a gaseous state.²Low heat is also applied to aid extraction.

“As the pressure inside the container rises, the C02 gas nearly liquifies, bathing the plant material in supercritical C02. The combination of high pressure and low temperatures encourages the plant material to releases its aromatic components. After a period of time, the pressure is reduced and the supercritical C02 then changes back to its gaseous state, completely dissipating from the extracted material.” ⁶

Because of the liquid properties of the gas, the CO₂ functions as a solvent, pulling the oils and other substances such as pigment and resin from the plant matter. Thus, the difference between CO₂, or supercritical, extraction and traditional distillation is that CO₂is used as a solvent instead of heated water or steam. The temperature involved in the supercritical extraction process is around 95 to 100 degrees F. as opposed to 140 to 212 degrees F. in steam distillation.³

The CO₂ supercritical extraction process eliminates the need for potentially harmful solvents like hexane, avoiding unnecessary environmental pollution and potential human bodily harm. Another very important consideration is that the supercritical CO₂ extraction process avoids heat degradation to the plant matter, producing an essential oil that is a more authentic version of the original plant matter. Many medicinal properties of the plant are thus kept intact in the oil, exemplified by German Chamomile extract. Another positive aspect to the CO₂ distillation process is the aroma of the essential oil. The CO₂ supercritical extract offers a more genuine aroma of the actual herb, spice or plant. The aroma of the CO₂ extracts of Ginger, Cardamom and other spices are more natural, etheric and warm in nature rather than the somewhat harsh and intense aroma the same plants that have been steam distilled.⁵

For instance, Eden Botanicals, love the spice oils derived using CO₂ technology, and believe that they are superior to the steam distilled spice oils. Comparing like-named oils you will find quite different oils, with very different aroma profiles. As an example, in Patchouli, some people prefer the steam-distilled type with its more earthy, woody scent to the fresh, greener aroma of the Patchouli CO₂ extract. it always comes down to personal preference.⁵

Some Perfumery Information ~ CO₂extract should be stored in the refrigerator to extend use. They do contain some of the plant components and thus more easily succumb to oxidation. Some will crystallize a bit and will need to be warmed to use. They are soluble in essential oils and carrier oils but often not soluble in alcohol. Some of the CO₂extracts, separate, and are clear to see through and called “Extra Select or Fine” and are somewhat soluble in alcohol. If you are making a perfume product, the CO₂extract will usually drop out of solution and will need to be aged somewhat, stood upright for 24 hours for the plant solids to settle, then filtered or decanted before being used.

Total CO₂ extracts are often more difficult to work with as they also contain plant solids as well as the essential oil and maybe thicker and require specialized consideration when diluting.

Agarwood CO2 Extract ~ Aquilaria malaccensis oil is produced from the infected decaying heartwood of cultivated trees. This heartwood is saturated with an oleoresin that when distilled is the basis of an incense or is extracted. Because the trees are cultivated it makes the process more ecologically sound. This oil is thick and opaque and requires gentle heating in order for it to be mixed into blends. It is a deep rich earthy and somewhat spicy odor that takes some getting used too. It can be used in perfumery in the base note or as a fixative.

Ambrette Seed CO₂ Extract ~ Abelmoschus moschatus. Also called Hibiscus abelmoschus L. This musky oil is well known for its use, inhaled, to reduce stress, and fatigue. Marcia Elston said in 2010, “Ambrette seed CO2 has similar application to Ambrette seed absolute in fine, sophisticated perfumery to impart a note similar to animal musk. It is best aged for several months before use, which will subdue the initial fatty notes. It has a rich, sweet floral-musky odor, with a note similar to wine or brandy. Ambrette seed is very complex with an incredible tenacity (perceptible at .01-.04 mg%).” The odor is very memoristic, you will not forget it and is sort of like a warm toast with an earth and wood scent. It has an ‘exalting’ effect in a perfume.

Angelica root CO₂ Select Extract ~ (Angelica archangelical) Angelica Root CO₂ has an earthy, green herbaceous aroma with a spicy subsidiary notes and clean spicy, musky/woody back notes. Although it has a very fine, delicate aroma, it is extremely tenacious – a little goes a long way. Angelica Root is noted for its depth, tenacity and for one of its important constituents – cyclopenta-decanolide, a musk-like lactone, making it highly valued for use in natural perfumery. ³

Black Cumin seed CO_2-Organic ~ (Nigella sativa L.) Black Cumin seeds have been cultivated since Assyrian times and were preserved in King Tutankhamun’s tomb. They are used to flavor bread and considered medicinal and the oil antibacterial. The extract is used in hair care products to stimulate hair growth and in skin care products to replenish tone ~ they contain essential fatty acids like linoleic and linolenic acids.

Black Pepper peppercorn CO2 Extract ~ (Piper nigrum) Black Pepper CO₂ extracted from the dried unripe fruit is warm and spicy and also a fruity scent. In studies the CO₂ showed antioxidant activity. Pepper should be diluted and used with caution, as the CO₂ can be a skin irritant.

Butter CO₂~ Sometimes called Butyrum (butter) and it is extracted from milk fat, has had all water content removed. A small amount of Rosemary antioxidant is added for shelf life stability. This is an oily/fatty smelling product that is buttery and creamy, and Eden Botanicals say that “… it can trigger olfactory memories of buttered popcorn and movie theatres”. In perfumery, it can be used in the base note or the fixative note. When used, the dry down in a perfume will leave a fatty note that is desirable in floral odors. This is one of my favorite additions to floral perfumes especially to the thick-flowers like Jasmine. Formula: I also have made a delicious smelling accord that I call Breakfast with the CO₂of Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla and Butter — it is just fantastic.

Calendula CO₂ ~ Calendula officinalis is a thick viscous orange-colored product that needs to be diluted in cream, or oil to be used in products for the treatment of skin disorders. When diluted it is helpful for pain and is as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. The petals and pollen are extracted for the esters to be used as an anti-inflammatory and for the colorful carotenoids of flavoxanthin and auroxanthin as antioxidants. The leaves and stems contain mostly lutein (80%) and beta-carotene. This is a wonderful part of any skincare formula. I am particularly fond of this with a drop of Ambrette to enhance the lovely toast smell of both. Here is how to make your own Calendula Infused oil (when the flowers are blooming in summer).

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Caraway seed CO₂~ Carum carvi – Caraway seed smells like seeded rye bread. The scent is from carvone, which have isomers that produce both the Caraway scent and the Spearmint scent. Caraway is used in the pharmaceutical and food industries as a flavor ingredient, in body care products and perfumery is a spicy, green scent. CO₂ extracts of spice oils are often preferable to the steam-distilled ones and they are preferred for natural perfumery purposes although they do have some of the plant particles in them as well.

Cardamom, Whole seed CO₂ Extract ~ Cardamom seed (Elettaria cardamomum) via carbon dioxide extraction yields the aroma of fresh cardamom pods. A small amount goes a long way! It is wonderful to use in perfumery as a bridge note between the flowers and the roots of plants such as Jasmine and Vetivert. In South Asia, the seeds are used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders.

Chamomile, Blue flower CO₂ – Organic ~ Matricaria chamomilla is a dark greenish-brown, opaque, thick and viscous product. It retains more of the natural floral odor of the flower sort of a green apple fruit scent and is a strong anti-inflammatory when added to any skin care product. Use it by taking a bit and working it well into some oil or your skin cream or lotion and then add more lotion until all is incorporated. In commercial products when Chamomile CO₂is used it is normally around 0.2±% of the total blend. In P. Davis book, she mentions that “use of German Blue Chamomile can be especially helpful where skin conditions may be aggravated by stress, and indeed where stress may be the underlying cause.”

Champaca CO2 Extract ~ (Michelia champaca) Champaca has a delicious and captivating aroma, with a tangy citrus but highly floral odor. The plant is highly revered by the followers of Hinduism and Buddhism who use it during religious ceremonies. The extract from the flowers of Michelia alba is used in preparation of the famous ‘Joy’ perfume. Medicinally, the tree has wide applications; the bark is used to prepare a tonic, the oil extracted from flowers is used for aching muscles and for relieving gout.

Cinnamon Bark CO2 Extract ~ Cinnamomum zeylanicum) Eden Botanicals says their Cinnamon retains the true scent of dried cinnamon. You can add it to your products as part of your scent blend as an antibacterial and for that delicious spicy scent. Cinnamon oil and extract contains eugenol, it is antispasmodic, anti-infectious, antifungal and is indicated for tooth care, for respiratory blends, or the herb tea for sleepiness or depression. This is a skin irritant, use with moderation and with caution.

Clove Bud CO2 Extract ~ Syzygium aromaticum, are the sun-dried, unopened flower buds of the Clove tree, a warm, spicy and sweet aroma and used in many types of therapeutic formulas. This aromatic aid must be diluted as may cause skin and mucous membrane irritation. This oil is contraindicated during pregnancy. https://jeanne-blog.com/clove-eoherb-profile-information/

Coconut Pulp CO2 ~ The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the family Arecaceae (palm family) and the only species of the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the whole coconut palm or the seed, or the fruit, which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut. Organic Coconut CO₂ has a strong aroma of coconut and the extract has great tenacity in perfumery and is an excellent choice for soothing skin and body care products. This is a wonderful product to use.

Coffee Bean CO₂ – Organic ~ Coffea arabica, grown organically in India, this super critical carbon dioxide extract has a wonderful stimulating odor, is used in perfumery in a base note and that can be used in an accord and works very well in SPA products for its stimulating scent. There is some stimulant action in any product with Coffee CO₂.

Coriander Seed CO₂ ~ (Coriandrum sativum) has long been cultivated for the seed and in fact is one of the earliest words recognized in deciphering early language, it was preserved in Tutankhamun’s tomb (1325 BC), one of the ‘bitter’ herbs prescribed by Jews at the Feast of the Passover, and now is one of the most heavily used herbs. For flavoring gin, bread, curry and especially nice for a green scent for perfume and soap. Very aromatic, the EO containing up to 75% linalool, used as an anti-inflammatory for blackheads and oily skin and inhaled for stress and anxiety. Carbon dioxide extracts CO₂ are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the botanical plant than those obtained by other techniques. Best as a flavor and fragrance ingredient: no solvent residue, no off notes, more top notes, more back note, and better solubility.

Evening Primrose seed CO₂ – Organic ~ Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis), is a night-blooming, flowering plant with bright yellow and slightly fragrant flowers. It is not actually a Primrose. The plant is native to North America and was introduced to Europe in 1619, has since become common throughout the Mediterranean, is cultivated in other parts of the world and grows virtually anywhere. Oenothera biennis is a seed oil with a warm and fatty scent that is best used in combination with other carrier oils. It is a rich source of gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that the body cannot make on its own but that is of major importance to the health of the body. Evening Primrose oil is used in cosmetics, dietary supplements, skin care products, and for other uses.
Do not take Evening Primrose oil by those who are taking prescription blood thinners such as (aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix).

Fenugreek seeds CO₂ ~ Trigonella foenum-graecum is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, with clover like leaves. It is cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop. Its seeds and its leaves are common ingredients in dishes from South Asia and is has been known from at least 4000 BC and even found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Fenugreek dried, or fresh leaves are used as an herb, the seeds as spice, and the fresh leaves and sprouts as a vegetable. When eaten it can cause a maple odor to urine and breast milk. It is used as food supplement and for flavoring food products.

Sotolon is a lactone and a powerful aroma molecule and the chemical responsible for Fenugreek’s distinctive sweet smell. At very low proportion it adds this sweet burnt sugar scent to a perfume. Eden Botanicals mentions its use in used in perfumery in extremely minute amounts, for its fresh, sweet, calming aroma that is warm, and powdery, with soft spicy-nutty-earthy undertones of maple (sotolactone) sweetness. Contains neryl acetate which also occurs in Helichrysum and is a wonderful substance for skin healing. The CO₂ stabilized with Rosemary extract.

Frankincense CO2 Extract (Boswellia serrata from India and B. carterii from Somalia) from the resin. These are therapeutic extracts with a crisp fragrance and retains their ancient quality. They are great additions to perfumery and are used in the middle, base or fixative note depending on what you wish to achieve. “… both of our Frankincense CO₂ oils offer the natural botanical perfumer a more complete aromatic profile with higher, brighter top notes and deeper, more complex bottom notes than the steam distilled Frankincense oils”⁵. Frankincense from Somalia is intense and tart and for me the B. serrata is more memoristic of the resin when it is burned.

Galangal CO₂ select extra – organic ~ Has been also been incorrectly called Ginger Lily. Several different species whose rhizomes are used are called Galangal, including Alpinia galangal and Kaempferia galangal. This is a spice like ginger when used as the herbal part, the root, is an aromatic stimulant, carminative and stomachic. It is used against nausea, flatulence, dyspepsia, rheumatism, catarrh and enteritis. It has tonic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities and is used for these properties in veterinary and homeopathic medicine. (The several types of Galangal that I have smell identical to the Hedychium CO_{2 and} I wonder if the growers are selling the same plant as two different items?) The scent has depth and tenacity, and woody and spicy. Soluble in carrier oils and neutral spirits. This is a beautiful addition to a floral perfume as it adds a depth and intensity. Kaempferia galangal is considered an endangered species.

Ginger root CO₂ Extract (Total) ~ (Zingiber officinale) This total extract is dark and potent as well and more like the root in nature. The essential oil of Ginger does not have the irritating bite as does the herb itself and can be taken — 1-2 drops in Ginger ale for nausea. It is a pleasant addition to a drink. However, the extract of Ginger does have a ‘bite’. The scent of both is a warm, spicy, green odor and very good in all sorts of perfume combinations. A wonderful perfumery items.

The extract is true to the warmth and spice of fresh ginger root.

Jasmine CO₂ ~ Jasminum grandiflorum, India, the CO₂is extracted from the Jasmine concrète flower, rather than the flowers themselves. The concrète is produced during the first stage of creating Jasmine Absolute, and then the oil from the concrète is extracted using modern CO₂ technology. The result is a very viscous oil with the Jasmine aroma that is lighter, more delicate and more authentic than the Jasmine absolute.

Juniper Berry CO₂~ Juniperus communis berry extract produces a rich green and deep conifer scent but also soft and pleasing. This can be used in all blending and perfumery. Use it in body care products an astringent cleanser for the skin and body and a wonderful odor in men’s products. I also like to use 5 drops of this with 1-oz. of 95% neutral spirits as a deodorant (of course, gin might work just as well!).

Kava Kava root CO₂~ Piper methysticum (from the Latinized Greek meaning intoxicating pepper) is a specialty product from the root that contains a total of 70% kavapyrones, the constituents known for calming emotions and inviting restfulness. In very small quantities, this specialty oil is an excellent addition to relaxing blends, especially for massage. I have used the pepper in the long ago past but personally am having my first experience with the carbon dioxide extract and will write more about it at a later time.

Myrrh resin CO₂~ Commiphora myrrha is extracted from the resin by supercritical fluid extraction with natural carbon dioxide. It takes 11 to 16 kilos of raw material to yield 1 kilo of product. The CO₂had a deeper yellow color than the steam-distillates and is clear, non-viscous, of low intensity in scent and bitter to taste. It is an earthy spicy scent with a back note of leather. This was most surprising to me as my experience from 1970 to just a few years ago is that Myrrh essential oil was always dark golden color, clear, viscous, and very very intense with more tenacity than the Myrrh extract. The significant history of Myrrh dates back thousands of years for its extensive use in healing preparations, perfumery, incense, and ritualistic ceremonies. Myrrh essential oil and CO₂ can be used effectively in your aromatherapy and natural perfume blends.

Patchouli CO₂ Extract ~ Pogostemon patchouli. This leaf extract yields a fresh, uplifting aroma that is very different from other Patchouli oils. It is less earthy than other oils yet provides an aroma that is more similar to that of fresh Patchouli plant leaves.

Pomegranate Seed CO₂ – Organic ~ Punica granatum. CO₂ seed extraction process for carrier oils ensures a product that more closely resembles that which is found in the raw plant material and has a longer shelf life than cold processed carrier oils. EO are soluble in this seed extract but this extract is not in alcohol. Best in use for skin care products rather than EO perfumery. Pomegranate Seed CO₂ Extract is extracted in Germany, is highly recommended for use in moisturizing creams and lotions, anti-aging formulations, and formulations for dry, irritated, or chapped skin. It is very effective in softening dry, irritated and aging skin.

Raspberry Seed CO₂ – Organic ~ CO₂ extract from Rubus idaeus seed is a carrier oil and has a subtle fruity, fragrant scent that makes it a nice addition to a fruity perfume. When mixed in with other fruity essential oils it won’t dissolve but if you leave it rest for a few weeks, the scent will transfer into the perfume and leave its nice fruity odor behind. In perfumery, it is always best to age the scent for a month or so before attempting filtering or decanting. In skin care products, this extract adds antibacterial and antioxidant properties, Raspberry Extract is recommended as part of the carrier blend; it is very soothing and relaxing for skin as it relieves irritation and improves tissue firmness.

Rose Hip Seed CO₂ – Organic ~ (Rosa eglanteria aka Rosa rubiginosa aka Rosa canina) but not Rosa mosqueta, which is not a recognized species. This carrier oil from Rose Hips are the fruiting (seed-holding) bodies of the Rose that develop after the Rose has been fertilized, petals drop off, the hip (uterus) enlarges, and forms seeds. The hips are picked when ripe and are very high in vitamin C. The seed is removed and pressed and subjected to carbon dioxide to extract the oil, which is often deep red (when some of the fleshy hip is left) or clear. It often has a strong, almost fishy odor. It has been found to be a very effective skin treatment as it may promote tissue regeneration. Rose Hip Total is good used in lotion or cream for scars, burns, and wrinkles. Use by diluting with other vegetable oils and blends for skin treatment.

Carbon dioxide extracts CO₂are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the botanical plant than those obtained by other techniques.
Best as a flavor and fragrance ingredient:
no solvent residue,
no off notes,
more top notes,
more back note,
and better solubility.

Rosemary [Antioxidant] leaf CO₂ – Organic ~ Rosmarinus officinalis. Rosemary CO₂has the true herbal scent of the Rosemary that is grown in the fog; it is one that is herbal, spicy and fruity, mild and delicious. It is used as an antioxidant as it contains 9-14% carnosic acid. Verbenone type CO_2-6 is extracted in Spain and is used in skin care or for great Rosemary Garlic bread.

Formula: (Take a dab and mix with butter or Olive oil and apply to your bread and toast). Inhale and apply. https://jeanne-blog.com/rosemary-chemotypes-and-hydrosol/

Sandalwood CO₂ Extract ~ Santalum spicatum. This is a sustainable, plantation-grown, CO₂ extracted from the Sandalwood Nut for face, hair and body care. This lightweight, ‘dry’ oil is ideal for many products for the hair and body; for facial rejuvenation creams and serums. It works well with Rosehip seed CO₂extract.

Sea Buckthorn [fruit pulp] CO₂ Extract (Total) ~ Hippophae rhamnoides. This oil that has a woody aroma and a beautiful, deep red color. Sea Buckthorn is valuable and known for its ability to nourish, improve and restore the skin. It can also be used to add a red tint to your essential oil blends. Aside from erosion control, the plant is primarily valued for its golden-orange fruits, which provide vitamin C, vitamin E, and other nutrients, flavonoids, oils rich in essential fatty acids, and other healthful components. The leaves are now also being used for making a beverage tea; additionally, they contain triterpenes. It is an ingredient in sunblock products. Hippophae oil has UV-blocking activity as well as emollient properties-and it is an aid in promoting regeneration of tissue. Studies in China show that used as a moisturizer its treats eczema; for skin regenerating cosmetics; in face cream; as a nourishing night cream; emollient cream for eyes; tonic skin lotion; after shave lotion; and in shampoo and more.

Spikenard CO₂~ Nardostachys jatamansi. Spikenard is an aromatic rhizome. The botanical name has its roots in the Hindu word Jatamansi which means “lock of hair.” Its use goes back in several cultures and religions. Medically it’s part of the Ayurveda and is traditionally considered to calm the nerves and promote awareness and strengthen the mind. It is in the same family as Valeriana jatamansi (Indian valerian) and was sometimes used treatment of hysteria. A very earthy grounding scent. Spikenard, is useful to use when you honor the ‘mother’, the Earth, and to consider how you can encourage protection and support of the environment. Use only a drop or two on your body or on a handkerchief, as you inhale this rooted scent.

Turmeric root CO₂ – Organic ~ Curcuma longa. The herb (rhizome) is use for blackheads and good skin tone. Make a paste of with a pinch of turmeric powder or a drop of turmeric with some drops of Lemon juice and apply this paste on face. Keep until it is dry. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Daily use definitely improves skin tone as well as helps to remove blackheads. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric that has been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic effects. Curcumin is known for its antitumor, antioxidant, anti-amyloid and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is also known as tumeric or curcumin.

Vanilla Bourbon pod CO₂ or Vanilla Bourbon organic ~ Vanilla planifolia is a creamy substance extracted with carbon dioxide with the true floral, woody, fruity, lovely Vanilla odor, it is pale yellow to tan, has a shelf life of about 3 years. This can be used as a flavoring agent as well as in solid perfumes. Just lovely especially in a foodie perfume with Coffee and Cacao CO₂and Raspberry, Ginger, Cardamom and Butter CO₂’s.

> CO₂extracts are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the plant and has better solubility in the product, especially in carrier oil. These carbon dioxide extracts, CO_2,are closer in composition to the oil as it occurs in the botanical plant than those obtained by other techniques. Best as a flavor and fragrance ingredient: no solvent residue, no off notes, more top notes, more back note, and better solubility. They are wonderful scented healing addition to any skin care application.

There are many more carbon dioxide extracts available, I have listed just the ones that are my favorites. I would also like the thank Eden Botanicals and Prima Fleur Botanicals for the many samples they sent to me to explore.

All of these and more are available as CO₂extracts. Some are more easily obtained than others: Agarwood CO₂, Ambrette Seed CO₂ – Fine, Angelica Root CO₂, Arnica CO₂, Ashwagandha CO₂, Bakul CO₂, Black Cumin CO₂ – Organic, Borage CO₂, Butter CO₂, Calendula CO₂, Caraway CO₂, Cardamom CO₂ or Cardamom CO₂ – Org, Carrot-jojoba CO₂, Chamomile, Blue CO₂ – Organic, Champaca CO₂, Chia CO₂, Chili/Sunflower CO₂, Cinnamon Bark CO₂, Coconut CO₂, Coffee Bean CO₂ – Organic, Coriander Seed CO₂, Davana CO₂, Elemi CO₂, Evening Primrose CO₂, Frankincense CO₂, Galbanum CO₂, Gotu Kola CO₂, Hazelnut CO₂, Jasmine CO₂, Juniper CO₂, Mace CO₂, Marjoram CO₂, Massoia Bark CO_2, Melissa Leaf CO₂, Millet CO₂, Neem CO₂, Orris Rhizome CO₂, Pomegranate Seed CO₂, Raspberry Seed CO₂, Rhatany Seed CO₂, Rosehip Seed CO₂, Rosemary Leaf CO₂, Sage Leaf CO₂, Sarsaparilla Root CO₂, Saw Palmetto Seed CO₂, Schisandra Fruit/Seed CO₂, Sea Buckthorn CO₂Hippophae, Turmeric CO₂, Usnea CO₂, Vanilla CO₂, Wheat Germ CO₂.

References:
http://www.cnn.com/style/article/future-of-fragrance/index.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24607131
http://www.flavex.com/en/naturextrakte/products/
Moyler, David A. Liquid CO₂extraction in the flavor and fragrance industries. Used with permission of David A. Moyler. October 1988. Chemistry & Industry Magazine
Rose, Jeanne. Aromatherapy Studies Course /aromatherapy.html

Moyler, David A. Liquid CO₂extraction in the flavor and fragrance industries. Used with permission of David A. Moyler. October 1988. Chemistry & Industry Magazine
https://www.analoxsensortechnology.com/blog/2016/01/14/supercritical-carbon-dioxide/
Eden Botanicals.com
Bakouche, Stephanie. Perfumer at Edmond Roudnitska Art et Parfum
Eden Botanicals
Pace, Sue. Plant Therapy “CO2 Extracts—What’s All the Buzz About?”, 2015.

Moderation in All Things.

Be moderate in your use of essential oils and carbon dioxide extract
as they are just not sustainable for the environment.
Be selective and more moderate in your usage.
Use the herb first as tea or the infusion. —JeanneRose 2014

Do not Ingest essential oils or CO₂: Although some are important flavoring oils and extracts in the flavor industry and thus ingested in very small amounts in many foods, especially meats and sausages, it is not a good idea to use them yourself, do not take internally, either in capsules or honey.

Sustainability Issues: Essential oils and carbon dioxide extracts as ingredients in products are just not sustainable for the environment. A large quantity of plant material is used for a relatively small quantity of output. Be selective in your use of these ingredients. Be more moderate. Use the herbs instead.

Safety Precautions: Do not apply the product neat, especially to the underarms or delicate parts of the body. Most are probably not to be used on babies, children or pregnant women. Many aromatherapist suggest that there are some oils and CO₂extract not be used at all. However, as with many plants and essential oils, chemistry is subject to change depending on species and terroir.

Patch Test: If applying a new substance to your skin always perform a patch test to the inner arm (after you have diluted it in a vegetable carrier oil). —Wash an area of your forearm about the size of a quarter and dry carefully. Apply a diluted drop (1 drop EO + 1 drop carrier) to the area. Then apply a loose Band-Aid and wait 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then go ahead and use the oil in your formulas. —The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations, p. 64

DISCLAIMER: This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that is a matter between you and your health care provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor. The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies – Jeanne Rose©

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BLUE OILS — pt 2

SCIENCE ARTICLE ~ Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Azulene ..F. Alan Andersen, First Published April 1, 1999 Research Article

BLUE OILS-pt 1

GOURMET PERFUMERY

GOURMET PERFUMERY

Gourmet Scents for the Gourmet Perfumer

Photo by Jeanne Rose

Tobacco leaf courtesy of www.persephenie.com

Ryan Drum having a bite of Chocolate

CO2 EXTRACT

11 selected CO₂Extracts Courtesy Eden Botanicals

5 more CO₂Extract

Moyler, David A. Liquid CO₂extraction in the flavor and fragrance industries. Used with permission of David A. Moyler. October 1988. Chemistry & Industry Magazine

https://www.analoxsensortechnology.com/blog/2016/01/14/supercritical-carbon-dioxide/

Eden Botanicals.com

Bakouche, Stephanie. Perfumer at Edmond Roudnitska Art et Parfum

Eden Botanicals

Pace, Sue. Plant Therapy “CO2 Extracts—What’s All the Buzz About?”, 2015.

Do not Ingest essential oils or CO₂: Although some are important flavoring oils and extracts in the flavor industry and thus ingested in very small amounts in many foods, especially meats and sausages, it is not a good idea to use them yourself, do not take internally, either in capsules or honey.

SCIENCE ARTICLE ~ Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Azulene ..F. Alan Andersen, First Published April 1, 1999 Research Article

GOURMET PERFUMERY

Photo by Jeanne Rose

Tobacco leaf courtesy of www.persephenie.com

Ryan Drum having a bite of Chocolate

11 selected CO2 Extracts Courtesy Eden Botanicals

5 more CO2 Extract

Moyler, David A. Liquid CO2 extraction in the flavor and fragrance industries. Used with permission of David A. Moyler. October 1988. Chemistry & Industry Magazine

https://www.analoxsensortechnology.com/blog/2016/01/14/supercritical-carbon-dioxide/

Eden Botanicals.com

Bakouche, Stephanie. Perfumer at Edmond Roudnitska Art et Parfum

Eden Botanicals

Pace, Sue. Plant Therapy “CO2 Extracts—What’s All the Buzz About?”, 2015.

Do not Ingest essential oils or CO2: Although some are important flavoring oils and extracts in the flavor industry and thus ingested in very small amounts in many foods, especially meats and sausages, it is not a good idea to use them yourself, do not take internally, either in capsules or honey.

11 selected CO₂Extracts Courtesy Eden Botanicals

5 more CO₂Extract

Moyler, David A. Liquid CO₂extraction in the flavor and fragrance industries. Used with permission of David A. Moyler. October 1988. Chemistry & Industry Magazine